Amir Hails Arab-Europe Ties, Warns of Challenges EU, Arabs Tackle Raft of Key Issues at First Summit

JAMADA ALTHANI 20, 1440 AH MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019

24 Pages Max 24º Min 11º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 17768 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

NOTICE Kuwait Times extends to our readers best wishes for the National and Liberation Days! The newspaper will not be published on February 26 and 27, 2019. Our next issue will hit the newsstands on Thursday, February 28, 2019. However, readers can stay updated on breaking news and events on our digital media channels including our website www.kuwaittimes.net and on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Amir hails Arab-Europe ties, warns of challenges EU, Arabs tackle raft of key issues at first summit

KUWAIT: HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah delivered yesterday his Amir exchanges speech to the first Arab League-European Union summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Speaking to the partici- congratulations pants, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al- Sisi and President of the European Council Donald Tusk, HH the Amir said: “I am pleased at the outset to on national days express my great happiness for this first historic meet- KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- ing between Arab and European states in this beautiful Jaber Al-Sabah received cables of congratulations city. I would also like to express my thanks and appre- on the 58th anniversary of the National Day and ciation to the brothers and friends, leaders of the Arab 28th anniversary of Liberation Day from HH the and European countries, for responding to the invita- Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- tion of this meeting by participating in it, which reflects Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and National Assembly their keenness to develop Arab-European relations.” Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem. He also received HH the Amir expressed gratitude towards Egypt for similar cables from HH the Chief of the National hosting the event, saying: “I must also thank my brother Guards Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, President Deputy Chief of the National Guards Sheikh of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for inviting us and for Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH Sheikh the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and HH to us. Our region has gone through various historical the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- phases, in which the interaction of civilization and oth- Hamad Al-Sabah. ers was clear, as the effects of the Arab region are visi- They all expressed allegiance and loyalty to the ble on the structures of European civilization. Similarly, dear homeland, wishing HH the Amir life-long well- we see clearly the effects of European advancement being so he may pursue the leadership of goodness and European civilization on Arab intellectual, educa- Continued on Page 20 SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah heads Kuwait’s delegation at the tional and political institutions. EU-Arab summit yesterday. — KUNA Continued on Page 20

Bangladesh Biman flight BG147 were all res- Marshall Mofid, who goes by one name, said Bangladesh cued unharmed, officials said. he kept the accused man busy talking on the But the suspected hijacker - identified by phone while special forces units prepared the name “Mahadi” and described as being for the dramatic raid. “He demanded to plane hijacker 25 or 26 years old - was injured and died speak to our Prime Minister (Sheikh shortly after being arrested, said army Hasina),” Mofid said. “He claimed he had a shot dead spokesman Major General Motiur Rahman. pistol, but we are not sure yet whether it is “Our commando team asked the hijacker to an actual gun or a fake.” CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh commandos surrender, but he rejected it by being aggres- An unnamed member of the crew said the stormed a passenger jet in the country’s sive, and was shot,” Rahman told reporters. man was carrying a bomb-like object. “(He) southeast yesterday and shot dead an armed “Later on we learnt he had died... We found a said, ‘I’ll hijack this plane... If you don’t open man who allegedly tried to hijack the Dubai- pistol from him and nothing else.” the cockpit, I will blow up the plane,’” the bound flight, an army official said. The sus- The airport was sealed off by army, navy crew member told Bangladeshi newspaper pect, described by officials as a Bangladeshi and elite police after landing to collect more Prothom Alo. Other crew members said pas- man in his mid-20s, was shot as special passengers from Dhaka on its journey to sengers were evacuated through four emer- forces rushed the Boeing 737-800 plane Dubai. “Just ten minutes after the plane took gency gates of the plane. The hijacker also CHITTAGONG: Bangladeshi security personnel stand guard near a hijacked Dubai-bound after it landed safely in Chittagong. The 134 off (from Dhaka) he fired twice,” one pas- held a flight steward hostage. Bangladesh Biman plane on the tarmac after an emergency landing at Shah Amanat passengers and 14 crew aboard the senger told reporters in Chittagong. Air Vice Continued on Page 20 International Airport yesterday. — AFP

A heavily pregnant Meghan, with News in brief Harry, Meghan henna on one hand, accepted flowers from one of the girls in Asni while she Sri Lanka seizes 300 kg heroin and Harry chatted outside to a group meet schoolgirls from the program Education For All COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s police seized nearly 300 Morocco. The organization runs free kg of heroin worth $17 million, the island’s biggest in Morocco tour boarding houses to give girls aged 12 to haul of the narcotic, and arrested two people, 18 from the High Atlas region access to spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said yesterday. Anti- ASNI, Morocco: Britain’s Prince Harry education, working with 185 teenagers in narcotics agents and police Special Task Force and his wife Meghan yesterday met 2017. “Wow, that’s impressive!” Meghan commandos raided a mall car park in the capital Moroccan schoolgirls at the foothills of told a girl who has ambitions to study Colombo Saturday evening and found the drugs the High Atlas mountains, during their astronomy, an exchange filmed in a dorm hidden in two vans, Gunasekera said. “The heroin last official foreign tour before becom- room and posted on Twitter by was packed in 272 plastic bags and ready for distri- ing parents. Clutching British and Kensington Palace. bution,” Gunasekera said. “We are now investigating Moroccan flags, the teenagers lined up The couple also visited a classroom how this consignment got into the country.” — AFP to meet the royal couple during their where pupils were practicing their visit to the town of Asni south of the English, according to the royals’ social tourist hub Marrakesh. The British roy- media account. UAE oil firm signs $4bn deal als’ tour was set to focus on initiatives A quarter of Moroccans aged 15 to 24 promoting girls’ education, women’s are out of work and not in training or ASNI, Morocco: Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, greet ABU DHABI: State-owned UAE energy giant Abu empowerment and the inclusion of peo- education, according to official data for children from the ‘Education For All’ boarding house yesterday in this town on Dhabi National Oil Co yesterday signed a $4 billion ple with disabilities. Continued on Page 20 the foothills of the High Atlas mountains. -— AFP deal with US-based investors BlackRock and KKR granting them a minority stake in its pipeline arm. The agreement gives the two investors a joint stake of 40 percent in ADNOC Oil Pipeline, a newly established Thousands mourn 7 Syrian firm that owns all of the 18 pipelines that carry Abu Qatar names main road after Amir Dhabi crude oil and condensates, a statement said. ADNOC will keep the remaining 60 percent and also siblings killed in Canada fire have sovereignty over the pipelines and management MONTREAL: Around 2,000 mourners 2017, and were among an estimated 40,000 of operations, the company said. — AFP attended the funeral on Saturday of seven refugees received by the country since 2015. children from a Syrian refugee family who The funeral, broadcast on several news died earlier this week in a house fire in channels, was carried out according to Bid to sabotage Iran missiles foiled Halifax, eastern Canada. Ahmad Barho and Muslim tradition. Due to the number of peo- siblings Rola, Mohammed, Ola, Hala, Rana ple attending, it took place not in a mosque and Abdullah - whose ages ranged from four but in a cavernous hall on the Halifax water- TEHRAN: The Revolutionary Guards yesterday months to 15 years - all perished in the as-yet front, with all 2,000 seats full and several accused “enemies” of Iran of trying to sabotage the unexplained blaze at their home on Tuesday. mourners standing. country’s missiles so that they would “explode midair” Their father, Ebraheim Barho, suffered “We have all been affected by this but said the bid was foiled. “They tried as best as they DOHA: Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meets HH Sheikh Nasser serious burns and remains in a medically tragedy,” said Nova Scotia lieutenant gover- could to sabotage a small part which we import so that Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Representative of HH the Amir of Kuwait induced coma in hospital, according to nor Arthur Leblanc. Member of Parliament our missiles would not reach their target and explode Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday. Sheikh Nasser conveyed Canadian media. Their mother, Kawthar Andy Fillmore said authorities were working mid-air,” Fars news agency reported, quoting the HH the Amir’s greetings to Sheikh Tamim, voicing much thanks and appreciation Barho, was less seriously injured. She was to bring other members of the Barho family to Guards’ aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh. for naming a main road in Qatar after HH Sheikh Sabah. The Qatari Amir asked present at the funeral. “I’ve attended many Canada to support Kawthar Barho. “But they couldn’t do a damn thing because we had Sheikh Nasser to deliver greetings to HH the Amir, wishing him well and Kuwait funerals but nothing like this, so please bear The tragedy provoked an outpouring of seen this coming from the start and had reinforced this more progress and prosperity. Also during the meeting, they discussed fraternal with me,” said Sheikh Hamza, who spoke at sympathy across Canada, with a fundraiser sector,” he added, accusing Iran’s “enemies” of sabo- historical relations between both brotherly countries and their people. — KUNA the moving ceremony, struggling to over- for the family bringing in nearly half a mil- tage without naming any specific country. — AFP (See Page 2) come grief. lion Canadian dollars ($380,000) in just a The Barho family arrived in Canada in few days. — AFP 2 Local Monday, February 25, 2019 Qatar inaugurates main road named after Kuwait’s Amir

SHARM EL-SHEIKH: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah meets with Iraqi President Barham Salih. — Amiri Diwan photo

DOHA: His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Amir meets Iraqi leader (left) and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani inaugurate a main road in Sharm El-Sheikh named after His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah listens Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in Doha, Qatar yesterday. — Amiri Diwan photos to a presentation about the new road. SHARM EL-SHEIKH: His Highness the Permanent Representative at the Arab Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber League Ahmad Al-Baker and embassy Al-Sabah received Iraqi President staff. His Highness the Amir’s accompa- DOHA: Qatar inaugurated yesterday a main Barham Salih in Egypt’s Sharm El- nying delegation comprises Deputy road named after His Highness the Amir of Sheikh City yesterday. During the meet- Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber ing, they discussed bilateral relations, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Al-Sabah; a venture viewed as essential to ways of promoting and developing them Sabah, Finance Minister Nayef Falah Al- secure easy traffic between Doha’s north- at all levels, and the latest regional and Hajraf, Amiri Diwan’s Undersecretary ern and southern sectors. Upon directions international developments. The and His Highness the Amir’s Office Chief by the Qatari Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin encounter was attended by His Highness Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Amiri Diwan’s Hamad Al-Thani, Prime Minister and the Amir’s accompanying delegation. Advisor Mohammad Abdullah Abu Al- Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin His Highness the Amir and his accom- Hasan, Amiri Protocols Chief Sheikh Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani inaugurated panying delegation had arrived in Khaled Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Naser Al- the project in a ceremony, attended by the Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh City earlier Sabah, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Representative of His Highness the Amir, His yesterday to lead Kuwait’s delegation Al-Jarallah, Head of Amiri Diwan’s The new road named after His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah. partaking in an Arab-European summit. Media and Cultural Affairs Yousef Ahmad Al-Sabah. The Qatari interior minis- His Highness the Amir was welcomed by Hamad Al-Roumi, Head of Amiri Diwan’s ter briefed His Highness Sheikh Nasser Egyptian Minister of Higher Education Political and Economic Affairs Sheikh about significance of the project, launched inauguration ceremony, said the main road saying the Qatari initiative also typifies the and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel- Fawaz Saud Naser Saud Al-Sabah and would facilitate jam flow between southern inextricable bond shared by the Gulf neigh- Ghaffar, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt several other senior officials of Amiri in line with the Qatari Vision 2030 develop- Mohammad Al-Thwaikh, Kuwait’s Diwan and Foreign Ministry. — KUNA ment strategy. The planned road stretches and northern sectors of the Qatari capital. bors. He pointed out that Qataris have from Hamad International Airport to Um The main road is connected to 15 other key turned out in droves to join their Kuwaiti Lakhba intersection. Along with side roads, roads, serving many vital facilities throughout brethren amid their national celebrations in a the whole venture envisages construction the city. Meanwhile, Abdullah Al-Subaiee, the gesture of goodwill appreciated by all of 37 kilometers of routes. Minister of Municipality and Environment, Kuwaitis. Amir’s development plan Projected to finish by 2021, it will limit traf- said naming the main road after His Highness Upon arriving at the venue, His Highness fic congestion, often witnessed on the Doha the Amir “is the least that we may present to Sheikh Nasser was received by Qatari highway (February 22 Street). It also envi- His Highness who has spared no effort to sup- Minister of Transport and Communications takes shape: Minister sions construction of a 1,200-meter-long port the State of Qatar at the political, eco- Jassem Al-Sulaiti and President of the Public causeway, a 2.6 km-long bridge and a tunnel. nomic and humanitarian levels.” Works Authority Saad Al-Muhannadi. The KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh prosperous path,” the minister told the The plan, in part, aims at facilitating move- Qatar has delivered a “message of love ceremony started by showing a documen- Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s press amid a festive atmosphere as ment of athletes, due to partake in the world and appreciation” to Kuwait through a new tary about the project, later His Highness vision of broad development is progress- Kuwait marks its national celebrations. He cup, scheduled in the country in 2022. road christened after His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nasser and the Prime Minister and ing smoothly, Kuwait’s Minister of took a moment to congratulate the Meanwhile, Qatari Minister of Transport Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Bin Commerce and Industry Khaled Al- Kuwaiti people and the country’s leaders Jassim Al-Sulaiti said inauguration of Sabah Kuwait’s ambassador to Doha said. “For a Nasser Al-Thani, initiated the inauguration Roudhan said yesterday. “There has been on this joyous occasion, saying the nation Al-Ahmad road is part of Doha’s participation major road to carry His Highness the Amir’s of the major road. The ceremony was con- much progress on the part of all parties has seen meteoric development in its illus- in Kuwait’s celebrations of its national days. name is a testament to his lofty status and cluded with a short operetta organized by a involved to steer the country towards a trious history. —KUNA Minister Sulaiti, in a statement after the profound contributions,” Hafith Al-Ajmi said, group of children for Kuwait. — KUNA Kuwaiti facilities spruce up for national festivals

KUWAIT: Qatari and Kuwaiti students perform an operetta to mark Kuwait’s national days at Abdulhussein Abdelredha’s theater. —KUNA Qataris join Kuwaitis in marking national day celebrations

KUWAIT: Qatari and Kuwaiti stu- on feelings of love between the two dents jointly performed an operetta to nations, and Kuwait’s history in differ- mark Kuwait’s national days on ent fields, he added, noting that it is Saturday evening. The Qataris’ partic- the second operetta in a row. ipation reflects sincere feelings, love Meanwhile, Bader Al-Dowaish, and deep-rooted with Kuwait during Kuwait’s Assistant Secretary-General its national festivals. The event, which of National Council for Culture, Arts was held at Abdulhussein and Letters, said the festival confirms Abdelredha’s theater, included 28 the depth of relations between the two Qatari students and 60 Kuwaitis as countries and their nations. He well as some young people from the expressed his delight at the Qatari two countries. Speaking on the side- Amir and people’s initiative to share lines of the operetta, Faisal Al-Tamimi, Kuwait’s national day celebrations. head of Qatar’s music affairs center, The operetta is part of Qatar’s festival KUWAIT: Kuwaiti state institutions, busi- photos of His Highness the Amir and His country’s national celebrations on the said the operetta is a gift from the on Kuwait that is held at Sheikh Sabah nesses and banks nationwide have been Highness the Crown Prince. This reflects occasion of the National Day and Qatari people that embodies love Al-Ahmad Heritage Village and embellished with shining Kuwaiti flags and an eye-catching artifact marking the Liberation Day. — KUNA towards the Kuwaitis. It concentrated Murouj area. — KUNA

Kuwait Women Band offers musical soiree in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Kuwait Women Band Al-Tanboura, Al-Dazza, Al-Shaboura, offered a musical soiree at the Al-Sawahili and Al-Sameri. Dawood embassies district in Riyadh on Hussain, a famous Kuwaiti actor who Saturday on the occasion of Kuwait’s joined the event, offered sings such as national days, with Kuwait Ambassador “Ana Kuwaiti” and “Aash Suleiman,” to Saudi Arabia Sheikh Ali Khaled Al- which drew much praise from the audi- Jaber Al-Sabah attending. The soiree, ence. Hayat Al-Ali, the chair of the band, sponsored by Kuwait Embassy, featured said that the soiree attracted large folklore songs including “Ya Allah Ana audience from the Saudis and the Talebak,” “Tair Al-Saad,” “Ohiboha,” Kuwaitis living in the Kingdom of Saudi and “Ya Jameela,” and dances such as Arabia. — KUNA Established 1961 3 Local Monday, February 25, 2019

KUWAIT: Revelers celebrate Kuwait’s national holidays at the Arabian Gulf Road yesterday. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh Kuwait marks 58th National Day

KUWAIT: Kuwait is amidst national celebrations, with the 58th anniversary of ending the British protection and declaring independence being on June 19, 1961. Yet, the current National Day; February 25th, concurs with the 28th Anniversary of Liberation (February 26th) and 13th Anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah’s assumption of post (January 29th). The independence document was signed by the then Amir late Sheikh Abdullah Al- Salem Al-Sabah, the 11th ruler of Kuwait. Kuwait celebrated the National Day once on June 19, 1962; however, the occasion was pushed back to February 25 the following year to coincide with the now defunct His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Airport’s Terminal 4 (T4), and Jaber Al- throne sitting celebration. In 1962, Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Ahmad Hospital. On the foreign policy level, took the first step towards formulating the Through his efforts on the national level, His His Highness the Amir always focused on constitution with the establishment of a Highness the Amir focused on envisioning building bridges of understanding and founding committee tasked with writing the plans that would lead to the overall devel- peace amongst the nation of the world to draft constitution. Sheikh Abdullah Al- opment of Kuwait. On October 10, 2018 His achieve overall prosperity for everyone. Salem approved the document in Highness the Amir patronized the second His Highness the Amir is also known for November of the same year. Kuwait entered Kuwait Achievers for Future Opportunities his humanitarian stance both on the national the legislative period through the first elec- (KAFO) conference. KAFO is an initiative and international levels. On February 18, tions held on January 23, 1963. by Al-Diwan Al-Amiri in collaboration with 2018, His Highness the Amir paid the debts Since independence, Kuwait took the the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs. His of nationals and expatriates held in prison path of a balanced national and foreign Highness the Amir’s economic development as part of the national celebrations. On policies aimed at achieving welfare and vision aims at transforming Kuwait into a February 19, His Highness the Amir also development to the Kuwaiti people and also regional and international center for finance issued a decree to cover the financial bolstering cooperation with neighbors in and business. Several finalized projects expenses of orphans in Kuwait. the region as well as friends around the became known thanks to His Highness the Internationally, His Highness the Amir was world. While Kuwait continues to play a Amir including the Sabah Al-Ahmad Sea honored by the UN as a global humanitari- pivotal role regionally and internationally, City, Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Center an leader and Kuwait was recognized as an the people of the country rely wholesomely (ASCC), Kuwait Motor City (KMC), the international hub for humanitarian work as on the guidelines and wise policies set by Jahra Medical City, the Kuwait International a result of his efforts.—- KUNA 4 Monday, February 25, 2019 Local

Photo of the Day

KUWAIT: The sun sets behind silhouetted buildings in Sharq. — Photo by Joseph Shagra ‘All Zainers are Winners’ campaign welcomes Zain customers at 360 Mall Company hosted Q8 Pulse FM stars and offered prizes to listeners and crowds KUWAIT: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, welcomed its customers at a special event held on Friday, February 22, 2019 throughout three consecutive hours at 360 Mall to celebrate the company’s latest promotional campaign ‘All Zainers are Winners’ and in celebration of Kuwait’s national holidays. Zain organized this special event to promote the recently launched ‘All Zainers are Winners’ campaign that aims at sharing the joys of Kuwait’s national festivities during February of every year with all its customers. At this celebrated time of year, the company is always committed to launching unique promotional campaigns refreshed with the most wonderful offerings to celebrate this much cherished occasion with its customer base, considered the biggest in Kuwait. The special event at 360 Mall featured the Range Rover Evoque 2019, which is one of five mega prizes that will go out to five lucky winners during the final draw at the end of the campaign. ‘All Zainers are Winners’ continues until February 28, 2019, and offers valuable instant prizes to all Zain prepaid and postpaid customers during the entire campaign period. During the event, Zain hosted a special live episode that featured Q8 Pulse 88.8 FM stars Talal Al-Yaqout, Khalid Al- Ansari, Ahmad Ashkanani, and Osama Fouda, where many exciting competitions and activities centered around the campaign were organized for Q8 Pulse FM listeners and the attending crowds. Winners who participated in the event’s activities were awarded with valuable prizes and smart devices while enjoying a wonderful national Q8 Pulse star Talal Al-Yaqout dur- atmosphere. The event also wit- ing the live show. nessed a traditional band that played wonderful traditional Kuwaiti pieces as well as the tal- ented Arabiska band that thrilled the audience with a unique music performance throughout the event. ‘All Zainers are Winners’ continues until the 28th of February, and KUWAIT: From ‘All Zainers Are Winners’ event at 360 Mall. offers valuable instant prizes to all prepaid and postpaid customers, including free minutes, free Internet GBs, free bonus credit, and many more. To be eligible for one of the instant prizes, prepaid customers can simply recharge their lines with KD 5 or more, while postpaid customers can simply pay their bills through one of Zain’s digital channels (Zain’s website, Zain app, or Zain Connect portal) with KD 5 or more. Customers will receive their gift instantly as soon as they pay/recharge. All Zain prepaid and postpaid customers have a chance to win one of five Range Rover Evoque 2019 mega prizes during the final draw to be held at the end of the campaign. Every customer will receive one point for each KD 1 paid/recharged during the campaign period, and they can simply check their current accumulated points/chances balance by dialing *2526#. The more points a customer has, the more chances they will have for winning one of the mega prizes. Zain has long considered itself a key partner of the Kuwaiti society, especially in such national celebrations. The company launched this exciting campaign to show its commitment in sharing the joys of Kuwait as a leading national company, and will spare no efforts in being an integral part of the many occasions that are of interest to the local community. By launching this exciting limited time promotional campaign, Zain continues to reinforce its leadership position and its pledge in offering the best services and offers to meet customers’ pro- fessional and personal telecommunications needs. Zain always aspires to new levels of excellence in all services it offers to its customers. Through the launch of this new campaign, Zain affirms its continuous efforts in meeting customers’ needs and aspirations, and deliver its promise to offering the best services and latest technologies. The company constantly looks at ways to improve the experience of its customers, including providing them with the latest solutions to better serve their needs through the biggest and most One of the campaign’s ﬁve Range Rover Evoque 2019 advanced network in Kuwait. mega prizes. One of the interactive activities with the audience. 5 Local Monday, February 25, 2019 6,739 jobs vacant in various state departments: Minister Many citizens rejected jobs they were offered

By A Saleh produce 15 percent of electricity from clean Hospital. UAE Health Minister Abdul Rahman bin decision to reform KPC and its subsidiaries’ supreme resources by 2030, said informed sources. The Mohammed Al-Owais said renaming the hospital is in purchasing committee under the chairmanship of Saad KUWAIT: Minister of State for Economic Affairs sources added that the Kabd project to turn waste appreciation of the historic role played by the hospi- Abdul Wahab Al-Saad. The committee will include Mariam Al-Aqeel said the total number of citizens reg- into electricity is one of the leading projects to be tal since it was established in 1966 by the late Dubai Mazen Dawood Al-Sardi, Ali Abdullah Mohammed, istered with the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) executed in collaboration with the Kuwait Authority ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al-Maktoum in the Yousif Ahmed Ali, Adel Mohammed Al-Zamel, Abdul employment system since 1999 is 278,403, of whom for Partnership Projects and Kuwait Municipality to presence of the late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al- Rasoul Hussein Jaafar and a representative from the oil 42,743 withdrew to seek jobs elsewhere. Responding produce 80 megawatts. The Salem Al-Sabah. ministry. The decision will be effective on Feb 27 with to a parliamentary inquiry by MP Adel Al-Damkhi, sources said the project the aim of giving a new push to the oil sector, said Aqeel explained that 91.5 percent of citizens registered would resolve the problems of 13 projects informed sources, adding that the committee is with the system have been employed, while a further 21 landfill sites and scientifi- The finance ministry responsible for reviewing and approving various ten- 11,628 nominees are waiting for employment. She cally help get rid of the waste Over 91% approved financial requests ders prior to submitting them to the Central Agency added that 6,739 jobs are vacant in various ministries, they contain. In addition, the registered by the education ministry to for Public Tenders. namely the education and interior ministries, according sources said MEW will exe- execute a number of con- to those ministries’ assessment of their needs for the cute the Subbiya water reser- citizens struction projects in various Water balloon year 2019-2020. Aqeel also noted that only 3.6 percent voirs project and install pho- employed educational areas, said An army officer from the ruling family chased of citizens registered with the CSC system had not toelectric panels on them to informed sources, noting another vehicle along Gulf Road and rammed it delib- been nominated for any jobs, as many of them rejected generate 25-30 megawatts of that the ministry approved erately after one of the passengers threw a water bal- the jobs they had been offered. electricity. 13 projects with a total cost loon at his vehicle. Case papers indicate that both the of KD 36.5 million to be ‘sheikh’ captain and the other vehicle’s driver argued Renewable energy Kuwait Hospital used in rehabilitating schools, build new ones and build after water from the balloon spoiled the interior of the In collaboration with relevant government bodies, Upon direct instructions from Sheikh Mohammed 50 gyms in five educational areas. officer’s vehicle. Things then developed into a chase, the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) is cur- bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime during which they both rammed each other’s vehicles, rently working on executing a number of renewable Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Supreme committee until both vehicles broke down and stopped. A case energy projects to meet the instructions of HH the Dubai, UAE’s health and community protection min- Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s (KPC) Deputy was filed and both drivers were referred to relevant Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to istry renamed Al-Barahah Hospital in Dubai as Kuwait Chairman and CEO Hashem Hashem recently issued a authorities pending further procedures.

Fire guts 15 impounded cars at ministry garage By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A fire broke out in the early hours of yesterday in 15 vehicles impounded at a Ministry of Interior garage in Farwaniya. Firemen from Subhan and Farwaniya fire stations rushed to the scene and managed to contain the fire and prevented it from spreading to other vehicles. No casualties were reported, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) said in a statement. A case was filed and further investigations are in progress to determine the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry explained in a statement that the entire garage is insured and that owners of the destroyed vehicles will be compensated. InternationalMONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019 Fighter to minister: Philippine Muslim Guaido ramps up pressure after deadly Venezuela border clashes Page 9 rebel’s new ‘struggle’ Page 8

Pakistani soldiers watch over potential Indian troop movements with binoculars in a bunker at the Chakothi post, some 52 kms from Muzaffarabad near Pakistan-India border on February 23, 2019. —AFP India toughens Kashmir crackdown More than 160 Kashmiri separatists said to have been detained

SRINAGAR: Indian troops and police have detained vehicles. “The restrictions have been imposed as a pre- increase in police numbers in the region was to pre- Tensions raised more than 160 separatist leaders and activists, mainly cautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident,” vent candidates and voters from being intimidated The suicide bomb attack has raised tensions from the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), over two police said in a statement. There was also at least one into not standing or voting in the general election. between the nuclear-armed neighbors that both claim successive nights of raids in disputed Kashmir and military operation during the day. Troops cordoned off Indian paramilitary troops in riot gear arrived in Kashmir in full but rule it in part. India blames Pakistan imposed new curbs on freedom of movement. The Turigam, a village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, strength at first light, said Shakeel Ahmad, a resident for harboring militant groups operating in Kashmir, crackdown in towns and villages follows a suicide car and in a subsequent gun battle with JeM militants, one of Nowhatta in the Srinagar district. which Pakistan denies. After the attack, India dropped bombing that killed 40 Indian paramilitary police in a police officer and one militant died, a police source “At places, they have blocked the main roads with trade privileges for Pakistan and is preparing to send as military convoy on Feb. 14 claimed by another group, said. At least two other militants were trapped inside steel barricades and concertina wire,” he said. many as 10,000 more troops to the contested area, the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). the village, the source said. Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who chairs the according to a home ministry letter seen by Reuters. Police say they are rounding up separatists to head region’s Hurriyat Conference, Kashmir is likely to be a key election issue, distract- off trouble ahead of a general election that must be Fuel supplies low said arbitrary arrests and jail- ing from concerns about how Prime Minister Narendra held by May. Authorities detained 60 more people The government of Jammu ing of leaders, activists and Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party have managed the from the Jamaat-e-Islami late on Saturday or early and Kashmir issued a state- Roads young people for their politi- economy. Modi has promised a strong response to the yesterday, in addition to more than 100 the previous ment saying that fuel sup- cal beliefs has happened attack, saying in a monthly radio broadcast yesterday night, said a senior police officer who asked not to be plies are critically low in the deserted, many across Kashmir for 30 years. that it had caused anguish to victims’ families and all of identified. Kashmir Valley and rationing “Intimidating activists and India. “This attack has filled us with angst and pain and “Since JeI has a wider network across Kashmir and has been introduced. It said shops and leadership will not deter them these emotions are shared by the people of the world they are mobilizing anti-India protests, their arrest there is only enough gasoline businesses shut from their path, nor will it and those who believe in humanity,” Modi said. “Within could help in curbing such protests ahead of elections,” for one day, diesel for four stop people from demanding 100 hours of the attack, our soldiers have given them a he told Reuters. The authorities have also been detain- days and no liquefied petro- the resolution of the Kashmir befitting reply.” Modi added that the army had vowed ing JeM militants, sympathizers and relatives since the leum gas (LPG). The govern- dispute through self-determi- to destroy the militants and those who helped them. attack. Separatists called for a strike to protest against ment said it will seek to nation,” he said. Islamabad has warned it would respond with “full the detentions and the crackdown. In response, many increase supplies to the region and that shortages Those detained include JeI’s leader, Abdul Hamid force” if attacked. India’s Supreme Court will hear a shops, petrol stations, and businesses closed, with few- are the result of road blockages after the suicide Fayaz, and Yasin Malik, the head of the Jammu Kashmir case next week seeking to drop a constitutional provi- er people and vehicles on streets in sensitive areas, bomb attack. Liberation Front that also wants independence. Reuters’ sion that bars non-residents from moving to the state of except for troop patrols. In the same statement, state Governor Satya Pal telephone calls to the Indian home ministry’s media and Jammu and Kashmir that encompasses the Muslim- In some areas of the main city of Srinagar, the gov- Malik called on residents not to believe “rumors of communications department and Home Minister Rajnath majority region. If passed, it could further escalate ten- ernment clamped down on the movement of people and any extreme nature”. The government said that an Singh’s residence to seek comment went unanswered. sion there. —Reuters

verified denuclearization” and has repeat- Year’s Speech, North Korean leader Kim of the game. Red Candle confirmed in a Trump-Kim part II: edly referred to “the denuclearization of said Pyongyang is committed to denu- Pooh comparison statement that “Devotion” has been North Korea as agreed to by Chairman clearization of the peninsula - but only if removed from digital distribution platform Kim”. But that is not what the words in the Washington drops economic sanctions. with Xi too much Steam’s China region and that players who The summit, the statement say, and throughout the process had paid for access will be refunded. with Trump Pyongyang has never made a Is there a way through? It added the controversial content had script, the sequel public commitment to give up its weapons, Stephen Biegun, the US Special for China gamers been written by one member of the rather than denuclearizing the peninsula as Representative for North Korea, has development team without the others TAIPAI: A Taiwanese games company SEOUL: For the sequel, set in Hanoi this week, a whole. Diplomats say Washington’s phras- stressed that Washington has no intention noticing until Thursday when players whose latest offering contained a hidden US President Donald Trump and North ing could be a negotiating ploy by the of easing its US or United Nations sanc- reported it. “This is not the position of comparison of Chinese President Xi Korean leader Kim Jong Un will have to con- Trump administration, effectively daring tions on Pyongyang. But, he has said, “we Red Candle and this is not the intention of Jinping to Winnie the Pooh apologized tend with harder questions. Here is a look at Pyongyang to come out and deny it. At the are prepared to explore (a) number of other ‘Devotion.’... We are deeply sorry for yesterday after gamers in China boy- what was exactly agreed in Singapore last same time, Trump said last week: “I’m in no things that could build trust”. Earlier this hurting everybody,” said the statement cotted the product. Horror adventure year and what has transpired since then. rush. There’s no testing. As long as there’s month he told a Stanford University audi- posted on its Facebook page. But game “Devotion” was unveiled by Red Taiwan’s vice premier Chen Chi-mai on not testing, I’m in no rush.” ence: “I have this perfect outcome moment Candle Games earlier this month and had Sunday called for support for the game What did the Singapore statement say? where the last nuclear weapon leaves North generated much buzz among gaming and “creative freedom.” The inaugural summit between the leaders What is Pyongyang’s view? Korea, the sanctions are lifted, the flag goes communities in Taiwan and China. “The game represents the creativity of of two countries that never signed a peace The North has condemned US Secretary up in the embassy and the treaty is signed But in one scene, an ancient Taoist many young people... I will play it when I treaty after the 1950-53 Korean War was of State Mike Pompeo’s insistence on its in the same hour. “Now that’s an ideal, I scribble pasted on a wall was found to have time,” he told reporters. Red Candle brief — from 9am to 2pm. In a short pro- nuclear disarmament as “gangster-like”. It know, and these things are going to move contain the Chinese characters “Xi said partnerships with its Chinese distrib- nouncement, they pledged to seek a “lasting has long understood the denuclearization of haltingly along different courses.” Jinping, Little Bear Winnie” — Winnie the utor as well as a Taiwanese investor that and stable peace regime”, with Kim commit- “the peninsula” as taking in issues such as ting “to work toward complete denucleariza- Pooh’s Chinese name. AA Milne’s loveable also operates in Shanghai have been ter- the US military presence in South Korea How do Trump and Kim get on? but slow-witted bear with a weakness for tion of the Korean Peninsula”. There were no minated following the incident. A search and Washington’s nuclear umbrella over In 2017, as missiles flew and North Korean honey has been used in past memes to specific details, and disagreement over its for the game on China’s Twitter-like Seoul, and a lengthy commentary carried by ground shook to the blast of a nuclear test, poke fun at Xi, prompting Chinese cen- interpretation has caused follow-up negotia- Weibo did not yield any results. the official KCNA news agency in they called each other “dotard” and “Rocket sors to block all mentions of Winnie the Taiwanese companies have previously tions to stall. Even South Korea’s dovish December urged the US to “study geogra- Man”. But the Singapore meeting began with Pooh on social media. Another scene fea- bowed to boycott threats from China. President Moon Jae-in, who seized on last phy”. “When we talk about the Korean a one-on-one meeting, with only their transla- tured a newspaper with headlines reading Last year, coffee chain 85C Bakery year’s Winter Olympics to broker talks Peninsula, it includes the territory of our tors present. Trump has since hailed his “great “Baozi was arrested for assaulting school Cafe declared its “firm support for ‘One between rivals who had been trading per- republic and also the entire region of chemistry” with Kim and says he has “gotten children” and “Baozi was sentenced to China’” after it disappeared from Chinese sonal insults and threats of war, has since (South Korea) where the United States has to know him & fully understand how capable over three years maximum death penalty.” meal-ordering platforms after serving described the text as “somewhat vague”. placed its invasive force,” it said. he is”, dangling the prospect of the impover- References to “baozi”, the popular President Tsai Ing-wen while she was Pyongyang says it has already taken sub- ished, sanctions-hit North becoming a “great Chinese bun-like snack, have also been transiting in the United States. Ties with What does Washington say? stantive measures by stopping missile and Economic Powerhouse” under Kim. “He wrote taken down before in China for evoking China have worsened since Tsai came to In the months since Singapore, nuclear testing and the time has come for me beautiful letters,” the US president told a the president’s nickname: “Steamed Bun power in 2016, as she has refused to Washington has pushed to maintain sanc- the US to respond with moves of its own, rally in October. “And they’re great letters. We Xi.” Taiwanese paper the Apple Daily said acknowledge that self-ruled democratic tions against the North until its “final, fully such as lifting sanctions. And in his New fell in love.” —AFP gamers in China had called for a boycott Taiwan is part of “one China.” —AFP Established 1961 7 International Monday, February 25, 2019 As last IS collapses, exodus from strongholds overwhelm military Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have evacuated 5,000 men, women and children

OMAR OIL FIELD: US-backed Syrian forces warned yes- Crammed prisons terday they were struggling to cope with an outpouring of Around 46,000 people, including a large number of foreigners from the Islamic State group’s imploding foreigners, have streamed out of IS’s shrinking territo- “caliphate”, urging governments to take responsibility for ry since early December, according to the Syrian their citizens. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war have evacuated nearly 5,000 men, women and children from monitor. While civilians are trucked north to Kurdish- the jihadist redoubt since Wednesday, moving closer to run camps for the displaced, suspected jihadists are retaking the last sliver of territory under IS control. sent to SDF-controlled prisons. Omar said SDF “The numbers of foreign fighters and their relatives that “detention centres can’t accommodate all the fighters” we are holding is increasing drastically,” Kurdish foreign coming out of the last IS pocket. affairs official Abdel Karim Omar said. “Our current infra- The evacuation of men, women and children has put structure can’t handle the mass influx”, he said. Syria’s Kurds a strain on Kurdish-run camps for the displaced, espe- have repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate cially the Al Hol camp, which now shelters more than their citizens, but most have been reluctant to allow battle- 40,000 people. “There is a lot of pressure on us, espe- hardened jihadists and their cially in Al Hol, where in relatives back home due to addition to the relatives of security concerns. IS fighters you have a large At the height of its rule, IS displaced population,” imposed its brutal interpreta- Omar said. tion of Islamic law across ter- Infrastructure On Thursday, nearly ritory straddling Syria and can’t handle the 2,500 evacuees arrived at Iraq that was roughly the size Al Hol, compounding of the United Kingdom. But mass influx already dire conditions more than four years after IS inside the crammed settle- declared a cross-border ment, the UN’s humanitari- “caliphate”, the jihadists have an coordination office Mostapha Bali, the spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), carries a baby fol- lost all but a tiny patch of land OCHA said. “Thousands lowed by a woman after fleeing the Islamic State (IS) group’s last holdout of Baghouz, in Syria’s north- in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border. more are expected in coming hours/days at Al-Hol ern Deir Ezzor province. —AFP After years of fighting IS, Syria’s Kurds say they hold camp, putting a further strain on basic services,” it hundreds of suspected IS fighters and their relatives. “As tweeted Friday. “This sudden influx presents huge thousands of foreigners flee Daesh’s crumbling caliphate, the challenges to the response-additional tents, non-food ple and displaced millions since 2011. The SDF say home, or bar them from entry over security concerns. burden which is already too heavy for us to handle is getting items, water and sanitation and health supplies are they are trying to evacuate remaining civilians On Friday, the family of Shamima Begum, 19, said it even heavier,” SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said on Twitter urgently needed.” The International Rescue through a corridor before pressing on with a battle to would challenge the British government’s decision to late Saturday, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Committee on Friday said 69 people, mostly children, crush the jihadists unless holdout fighters surrender. revoke her citizenship. Begum, who travelled to Syria “This will remain as the biggest challenge awaiting us had died on the way to Al-Hol, or shortly after arriving Some 2,000 people are believed to remain inside in 2015 aged just 15, faced being left stateless after unless governments take action and fulfil their responsibilities in past weeks. Baghouz, including foreigners, according to the US- Britain revoked her citizenship, and Bangladesh, where for their citizens,” he said. No evacuations were reported backed force. her parents are from, said it did not want her. On from the enclave on Saturday, but the two batches that left on Security concerns Many European countries are now confronted with Thursday, the father of Hoda Muthana, 24, sued to Wednesday and Friday included Europeans, Iraqis and The battle for Baghouz is now the only live front in the dilemma of whether to bring back their citizens bring her home after President Donald Trump’s admin- nationals of former Soviet countries, according to the SDF. Syria’s war, which has killed more than 360,000 peo- who travelled to join the group and prosecute them at istration declared she was not a US citizen. —AFP

they were responding to calls for unrest at the holy site French minister Israel arrests top surrounding Friday prayers there. Some have since been released with an order not to visit the holy site. The site is the third-holiest in Islam and a focus of tackles daunting Muslim official Palestinian aspirations for statehood. It is also the location of Judaism’s most holy spot — task of purging after unrest Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount — and a frequent scene of conflict between the two sides. Muslim wor- JERUSALEM: Israeli police said yesterday they arrest- shippers’ access to Al-Aqsa and the adjoining Dome of online hate ed a top Palestinian Muslim official in Jerusalem after the Rock is controlled by Israeli security forces. A scuffles at a flashpoint holy site in the city in the past statement from Jordan’s religious affairs minister, Abdul PARIS: Having initially welcomed the “yellow vest” few days. The arrest drew condemnation from Jordan, Nasser Abu al-Basal, said the arrests were “playing movement as giving a voice to France’s voiceless, the custodian of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, in the with fire” at the sensitive holy site. Digital Affairs Minister Mounir Mahjoubi is now trying disputed city. Israeli police spokesman Micky There have been scuffles there in recent days after to purge social media of the racist bile and other hate Rosenfeld said Abdel Azeem Salhab had been arrested Israeli authorities padlocked a door, known as the speech spewed by often faceless users. The 34-year- for violating an order preventing entry into a prohibited Golden Gate or Gate of Mercy in Arabic, to disused old web entrepreneur was one of the first in President area of the holy site. offices. The offices were closed by an Israeli court Emmanuel Macron’s government to establish a rapport PARIS: This combination of pictures shows the logos of the Salhab is the head of the council of the Waqf in order in 2003, police say, but video posted on social with the demonstrators at a time when most of the GAFA’s, named after US multinational technology and Internet- Jerusalem, the religious authority that governs the site. media showed Muslim officials praying there recently in political class was running scared. related services company Google, US online retail giant Amazon, Official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that defiance of the court ban. The religious site is located in He has since been trying to take the heat out of US social media Facebook and US multinational technology his deputy Najih Bakira was also arrested, but police east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day French public debate in the street and on the internet as company Apple, displayed on a tablet. —AFP had not confirmed it. The arrests follow the detention of War and later annexed in a move never recognized by France battles an outpouring of anti-Semitism unseen 60 others overnight Thursday to Friday as police said the international community. —AFP since World War II. With swastikas being scrawled in areas around Paris — often discovered after yellow Paris,” he said. “I want the city to do that for every- vest demonstrations — and a Jewish academic mobbed body.” The self-described geek, who began working at by hostile protesters in the street, Mahjoubi has found 16 in the call centre of an internet service provider, has himself on the frontlines. He has called out Twitter extensive experience working on internet safety. especially for ignoring calls to work with French regu- During Macron’s election campaign he helped limit the lators on establishing filters for hate speech. damage caused by an intense hacking attack which was “I am very angry with them,” the minister told AFP in blamed on a Russian-affiliated group. an interview last week, reading aloud some of the end- Mahjoubi was one of several high-achieving tech- less stream of racist and homophobic messages he has nocrats appointed to the new government, and in the received, especially since going public about his homo- follow-up parliamentary elections, he toppled Socialist sexuality last year. Mahjoubi has vowed heavy fines for Party leader Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, one of sever- online platforms that fail to remove hate speech in the al heavyweights ousted by Macron’s centrist insur- 24 hours after it has been reported by users. He has gents. In the eyes of many voters, however, the new- also used his social media savvy and humble origins in comers turned out no better. Distrust of politicians hit a a poor immigrant family — his father was a house new low as the new ministers adopted the lofty lan- painter and his mother a cleaner — to try and bridge guage and big-spending ways of their predecessors — the divide between Macron’s little-loved government and the president himself let rip with a series of and disaffected voters. remarks seen as disparaging the poor. “Yes, it’s true, we continued talking in a way which was sometimes unin- Capital ambitions telligible... and made people feel humiliated by this top- But even as he tackles the enormous task of curbing down language,” admitted Mahjoubi, who studied at incendiary hate speech, the self-made minister is eyeing the prestigious Sorbonne and Sciences Po universities his next challenge. In the interview, he made no secret while launching an array of tech start-ups. of his ambition to became the French capital’s first may- or of Arab origin. Macron’s Republic on the Move party Debate salesman has yet to pick a candidate to try to unseat Socialist Faced with the worst crisis of Macron’s presidency Mayor Anne Hidalgo in next year’s elections. But the affable young minister remained glued to social Mahjoubi, who was elected to parliament in the city’s media and attempted to foster dialogue. In one of his multi-ethnic 19th district in 2017, has his pitch ready, first forays into yellow vest territory, he popped up even if he has yet to declare his candidacy. among the viewers of a Facebook Live broadcast to ask “My parents came from Morocco with nothing in the if the host Maxime Nicolle, a radical protest leader, 70s and their son became a minister, purely thanks to would “agree to talk”. —AFP

on March 29. May has face-to-face talks planned with UK’s May hoping European Council president Donald Tusk, Germany’s Angela Merkel and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. After MPs rejected her withdrawal deal last month, May is seeking to for Brexit progress amend its most controversial element, the so-called Irish backstop clause. This would keep Britain in a customs union with at Egypt summit the EU after Brexit if and until another way — for example, a free trade deal — were found to keep the border with Ireland LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May is making headway free-flowing. The EU has said it will not reopen the text, but is in efforts to amend the terms of Brexit and is hoping for fur- looking at what “guarantees” could be given to reassure MPs ther progress when she meets EU leaders in Egypt, a cabinet that the backstop would be temporary. colleague said yesterday. But Environment Secretary Michael Gove said the government was still discussing various Gove downplayed the prospect of a breakthrough that could ways to address MPs’ concerns with the EU. “It could be a allow the House of Commons to vote again on the withdrawal time limit, it could be a unilateral exit mechanism,” he said — agreement this week. citing two options Brussels has publicly rejected. He added: “I understand that progress is being made,” he told BBC “And it could be another legally powerful protocol or addition television. Asked whether a new vote by MPs was imminent, he to the treaty that makes it clear that we would not be bound in said: “I don’t know.” May was headed Sunday to an EU-Arab the backstop indefinitely against our will.” May has promised League summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.”It’s to update parliament on her efforts on Tuesday and either put an opportunity for her to talk to other EU leaders in order to hold a new vote on the deal or allow MPs on Wednesday to try to make further progress,” Gove said, as Brexit day looms debate their own ideas for the way forward. —AFP 8 Monday, February 25, 2019 International Fighter to minister: Philippine Muslim rebel’s new ‘struggle’ A very different challenge now awaits him: governing

MANILA: Murad Ebrahim’s life as the Philippines’ only one and his father at 13. He studied civil engi- top Muslim rebel led him into fierce jungle combat neering at the Catholic-run Notre Dame University and to meet with Osama bin Laden, but a very differ- in southern Cotabato city, where he learned fluent ent challenge now awaits him: governing. Murad has English. But in his senior year, he dropped out to been tapped to lead the majority-Catholic nation’s join an underground movement that he said defend- brand new territory in the restive south where ed Muslims targeted by Christian paramilitary Muslims have won new powers and an influx of cash groups and security forces under former dictator in a push for peace. Ferdinand Marcos. After decades as a rebel, Murad will need to become He joined the armed struggle first with the rebel a bureaucrat and complete complex projects as chief group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) but minister of the body that will steer the new Bangsamoro internal differences led him and Cairo-trained schol- region until elections in 2022. “We also see the difficult ar Salamat Hashim to split and form the MILF. In the challenge we will be facing ahead. To us, the struggle 1980s Murad said he was in Afghanistan to visit is not yet over,” the 70-year-old Murad said. “This is Filipino rebels who joined anti-Soviet forces but he only another level of the denied fighting alongside struggle.” them. It was there where Once a feared command- he met future Al-Qaeda er, Murad is chairman of the chief Osama bin Laden. Moro Islamic Liberation “Osama bin Laden was Front (MILF) which signed a To us, the very soft spoken. I did landmark pact with the gov- not think he would even- ernment in 2014 to end a struggle is tually be declared a world separatist insurgency that enemy because he was a killed some 150,000 people not yet over very refined person,” since the 1970s. That deal led Murad said. to the creation of the CAMP DARAPANAN: This file photo taken on September 5, 2011 shows Murad Ebrahim (C), chairman of Bangsamoro, which is based ‘Walking a tightrope’ the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), being escorted by his troops to a press conference inside their on the southern island of Murad became MILF’s base at Camp Darapan, Sultan Kudarat province, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. —AFP Mindanao and was overwhelmingly approved in a military chief, known as a calm but sharp tactician. He January vote. The MILF is the largest of several rebel led a difficult life in jungles and marshlands, with his groups fighting for independence or autonomy in two sons born at the height of the fighting. During his sensus, observers said. “He is the best, if not the only Islamic studies at the University of the Mindanao, the ancestral homeland of the nation’s years as commander, Murad led battles not from afar real choice (for Bangsamoro chief minister),” former Philippines.”Murad should extend a hand of reconcilia- roughly six million-strong Muslim minority. Rebels and but joined his men at the frontlines, said presidential presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles said. “He has tion even to (non-Muslims) so he would be able to the government hope the new region, which is getting peace adviser and former military chief Carlito Galvez. never been one to think power is all his.” extract himself from the ghosts of the past,” Wadi told an influx of cash, will be able to bring sorely needed “We did not see him committing any abuses,” Security experts say Murad and the MILF will be AFP. “He is walking a tightrope where he has to juggle a development to the violence-plagued area. Galvez told AFP. “He fought not because of an urge to hard-pressed to govern for the first time while facing lot of sensitive issues.” But the guerrilla leader has lived kill. He saw that fighting is not between people but threats from pro-Islamic State groups in Mindanao. through too many wars to give up. For Murad, his nine Dropout to commander between ideologies, to correct an injustice.” After Murad will also have to deal with resentment from fam- grandchildren are a reminder that there is no alternative The son of an Islamic preacher, Murad was Salamat’s death in 2003, Murad took over as leader ilies of civilians and soldiers killed or affected by previ- to peace. “I never had a normal life. My dream is for orphaned early on as he lost his mother when he was and earned the respect of colleagues for building con- ous battles, according to Julkipli Wadi, a professor of them to experience and enjoy it,” he said. —AFP

ened to boycott the vote. Polls opened early Okinawa ‘votes on Sunday morning, with about 1.15 million Okinawans eligible to vote. Speaking after casting her ballot at a India toxic alcohol against’ US local school, voter Yuki Miyagaki said: “They are using a lot of tax money and man- deaths jump base move: power for this referendum, even though the result will not have any legal power. So we thought that we should take this opportunity to 156: Police Exit polls and think very carefully about this issue.” “We usually shout no to the new base con- GUWAHATI: At least 58 more workers have died in north- NAGO: Voters on the Japanese island of struction. This is a good opportunity to tell eastern India after drinking toxic liquor, police said yesterday, Okinawa have rejected the relocation of a the government directly with concrete num- taking the death toll from the latest mass alcohol poisoning controversial US military base, according to beyond 150. The deaths in Assam state came less than two exit polls from a non-binding referendum bers: ‘No’. This is an important vote,” 32- weeks after tainted liquor killed around 100 people in the cited by local media yesterday. It was not year-old Narumi Haine said. northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. At least immediately clear whether sufficient num- “The referendum has underlined once 200 others were still receiving treatment in hospitals across again Okinawa’s strong opposition to the Assam. “A total of 85 people have died in Golaghat district bers of opponents had turned out to meet the threshold required for Okinawa relocation,” Yoshinobu Yamamoto, professor due to consumption (of toxic alcohol),” Dhiren Hazarika, of politics at the University of Niigata pre- deputy commissioner of the worst affected region, told AFP. Governor Denny Tamaki to “respect” the result of the symbolic referendum. fecture, told AFP. “The result could be a “Another 100 are undergoing treatment... The rush of new NAHA: A Japanese resident reads a newspaper report on the results of a referendum For this to happen, one quarter of the eli- negotiating card for the governor, but it’s patients has (only) slowed down today afternoon,” he added. unlikely to have an immediate impact,” he on the relocation of a US military base in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. —AFP Samir Sinha, Assam’s principal health secretary, told AFP 71 gible electorate — or around 290,000 peo- deaths had been confirmed in neighboring Jorhat district by ple — had to vote for one of the three added. “The dispute is far from its resolu- Sunday afternoon. options: for or against relocation or a third tion.” The relocation of Futenma to Nago, ing US military troops in the country. making a fool out of Okinawa.” “131 people, including 13 critical patients, are undergoing choice of “neither.” In any case, the vote is 50 kilometers away, was first agreed in 1996 Okinawa accounts for less than one Official results may not come until treatment at hospitals in Jorhat,” he said. “What is happening non-binding on the central government and as the US sought to calm local anger after percent of Japan’s total land area, but hosts midnight. A opinion poll by the Asahi is also a kind of fear psychosis. Many locals, even if they took turnout appeared to be hovering around 50 US servicemen gang raped a local school- more than half of the approximately Shimbun newspaper this week found 80 (illegal alcohol) four or five days back, are worried and percent, raising questions about what effect girl. But the plan has long been stalled in 47,000 American military personnel sta- percent of respondents want Abe’s gov- reporting (for check-ups) at the local medical facilities,” he the referendum will have. The central gov- part over local opposition. tioned in Japan. Anti-base rallies have been ernment to respect the results. But there added. Sinha said that additional teams of medical personnel ernment of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has staged daily in Okinawa since campaigning has been little sign the administration will and supplies had been rushed to the affected districts. vowed to press on with moving the base and ‘Making a fool of Okinawa’ for the referendum began in mid-February. shift course if the vote goes against the Police said people started falling sick after consuming a the relocation is also backed by Washington. The base has stoked tension with local But the vote has not stopped reclamation move, with Chief Cabinet Secretary batch of illegally produced liquor late Thursday. The victims, The ballot asked residents whether they residents over problems ranging from work at Nago, with construction workers Yoshihide Suga saying there were no who include many women, worked at local tea estates in the supported a plan to reclaim land at a remote noise and military accidents to crime continuing to shovel dirt into the ocean plans to halt the relocation regardless of region. Doctors said those rushed to hospital in critical condi- coastal site for the relocation of the Futenma involving base residents. Abe’s govern- offshore with bulldozers. “We hope the the outcome. Japan’s military alliance with tion were suffering from severe vomiting, extreme chest pain base from its current location in a heavily ment says the relocation will address referendum will boost the momentum of the United States is seen as a key part- and breathlessness. “A total of ten people have been arrested. those concerns, but many in Okinawa want our fight,” demonstrator Masaru Shiroma nership, and Okinawa’s location near We have sent the samples of the liquor... to a forensic labora- populated part of Okinawa. It was initially planned as a yes-no vote, but a “neither” the base relocated elsewhere in Japan. told AFP on Friday, as more than 100 fel- Taiwan has long been viewed as having tory. The report is awaited,” Mukesh Agarwala, additional They argue that the region bears a dispro- director general of state police, told AFP yesterday. —AFP option was added after several cities with low activists tried to block trucks entering huge strategic importance for US forward close ties to the central government threat- portionate burden when it comes to host- the construction site. “The government is positioning in Asia. —AFP

“puppets”. They have also stated that, without a withdrawal Expectations surge timetable, further progress is “impossible”. Three UN peacekeepers US President Donald Trump’s apparent eagerness to end America’s longest war, the Afghan government’s fear of being killed by bandits in Mali ahead of new US, sidelined, and the coming of spring all weigh on the process. “Eyes are on the Taleban to see if they are capable of compro- BAMAKO: Three UN peacekeepers in Mali have been killed by mising,” said analyst Michael Semple. “Can they come up with a suspected bandits while travelling on leave along the road from Taleban talks sufficient compromise to agree to a formula for an intra-Afghan the capital Bamako to neighboring Guinea, sources said. Friday’s attack was a robbery, a Malian security source told AFP, adding KABUL: The US and the Taleban are to meet in Qatar for fresh dialogue that absolutely involves the current Afghan govern- that the three victims were from Guinea, which contributes some talks today seeking an end to 17 years of grinding conflict in ment?” Khalilzad, he added, “has stirred up the peace process 900 soldiers to the 15,000-strong UN stabilization mission in Afghanistan, with the stakes ratcheting higher as the spring in a way that nobody over the previous two decades had”. Mali (MINUSMA). At around 10:00 pm Friday, the three peace- fighting season approaches. Marathon talks held in Doha last keepers, “who were going on leave in a rental vehicle, were month have stoked hopes of a breakthrough after the two sides Pakistan’s influence waning? attacked by unidentified armed men on the road to Siby”, 44 kilo- walked away with a “draft framework” that included a Taleban The gathering momentum has spurred fresh peace demon- meters southwest of Bamako, MINUSMA said in a statement commitment to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming strations and cautious hope in Afghanistan. But there is also KANDAHAR: In this photo taken on February 9, 2019, internally Saturday. “Three of them were killed and another wounded.” A a safe haven for international terror groups. growing unease, with fears the government is being pushed displaced Afghan men walk in Kandahar city, after fleeing con- civilian who was driving the vehicle was also wounded, according It was the most substantial engagement by Washington aside and that progress which many Afghans have paid for flict with the Taleban in the Deh Rawood district of Uruzgan province. —AFP to MINUSMA, which said it was “shocked by the cowardly assas- with the militants since US forces ousted them from power in with their lives could yet be undone if the US rushes for the sination of the three Blue Helmets”. According to an elected offi- 2001. But there is still no accord on a timetable for a US with- exits. According to fresh UN figures released Sunday, more cial of Siby, it was “a robbery that went wrong”. “They were UN drawal or a ceasefire — both major issues on which previous civilians were killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any wielded influence over the militants and been seen as key to peacekeepers on leave who were going to Guinea. They were efforts have foundered. Washington’s special envoy Zalmay other year on record — with 3,804 people killed and another any peace push, has already suggested that soaring tensions robbed by thugs who visibly panicked and shot” them, the official Khalilzad, who has spearheaded the months-long effort, is 7,189 wounded. with its nuclear arch-rival India could disrupt the talks. But said on condition of anonymity, confirming the death toll. UN expected to face an expanded Taleban negotiating team head- Women’s groups and civil society organizations have Taleban expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said this time around Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on the ed by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taleban’s former warned that a speedy withdrawal or lenient deal with the Pakistan’s stance may be more chest-thumping bravado than peacekeepers while the Security Council in a statement “called on deputy minister of foreign affairs. Taleban could pave the way for a return of their repressive an actual threat. He said that with the US and the Taleban the government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring Neither side has stated how long they expect the meetings rule, or an even bloodier civil war. Many watched in astonish- talking to each other directly, “I think Pakistan’s role will not the perpetrators to justice”. ment earlier this month as Taleban militants shared meals and be that important now.” The UN mission was established in Mali after Islamist militias to last or the details of what will be discussed. Analysts say this seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back round will likely see the Taleban push for the removal of its prayers with Afghan political leaders, including presidential by French troops in 2013. A peace agreement signed in 2015 by leaders from a UN travel blacklist, matched with pressure from contender Mohammad Atta Noor and former president Hamid ‘Challenging’ climate the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restor- the US for the militants to open a dialogue with the Afghan Karzai, in Moscow. But not one representative from the cur- The talks have been buttressed by heavy snowfall ing stability. But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist government. rent administration of President Ashraf Ghani was present at across Afghanistan, sharply reducing fighting and provid- militants. Since their deployment in 2013, more than 190 peace- “Both sides are going into this process with open minds the informal talks, deepening the sense of anxiety. ing much-needed space for negotiations. But Yusufzai keepers have died in Mali, including nearly 120 killed by hostile and a sense of urgency as the weather gets warmer and fight- Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab warned that another bloody fighting season will likely kick action, making MINUSMA the UN’s deadliest peacekeeping ing season draws closer,” Graeme Smith, a consultant based Emirates are also playing a role in negotiations, as Russia and off once the snow melts, as the Taleban seeks to maintain operation, accounting for more than half of blue helmets killed with International Crisis Group said. The Taleban have stead- China watch closely, and many observers fear regional dis- its momentum on the battlefield to maximize pressure at globally in the past five years. —AFP fastly refused to negotiate with Kabul, whom they dismiss as putes could yet derail the process. Pakistan, which has long the negotiating table. —AFP 9 International Monday, February 25, 2019 Guaido ramps up pressure after deadly Venezuela border clashes Trump has said that Washington is not ruling out armed action

URENA: International pressure mounted against Venezuela’s their attempts to collect the aid at the Colombian border, leader Nicolas Maduro yesterday, with Washington vowing where they were pinned back by Maduro’s security forces. to “take action” after opposition efforts to bring humanitari- Trucks with aid were prevented from entering the country, an aid into the country descended into bloody chaos. Self- and force was used to keep out Venezuelan nationals trying to declared interim president Juan Guaido called on the inter- cross in from Colombia carrying aid parcels. Colombia national community to consider “all measures to free” ordered aid trucks to return from the border after the vio- Venezuela after clashes at the border crossing left at least lence. International aid is also being held on the Caribbean two people dead. island of Curacao. Guaido announced he would participate in today’s Lima A ship with aid from Puerto Rico was forced to turn back Group meeting of mostly Latin American countries in Bogota, after receiving a “direct threat of fire” from Venezuela’s mili- and called on the international community to be prepared for tary, the governor of the US territory Ricardo Rossello said. “all possibilities” regarding Maduro. US Vice President Mike He slammed the move as “unacceptable and outrageous.” Pence will represent Washington at the meeting. Secretary of Canada, a Lima Group member, called on Maduro to allow State Mike Pompeo said the United States “will take action” “safe and unrestricted access” for the humanitarian aid, and as he condemned violence perpetrated by Maduro’s “thugs.” said it was “deeply concerned” by the violence “allegedly President Donald Trump has said that Washington is not rul- perpetrated by the Maduro regime” aimed a blocking the ing out armed action. entry of aid. These attacks are “simply unacceptable,” read a Humanitarian aid, much of it from the United States, has statement Saturday signed by the ministers of foreign affairs become the centerpiece of the standoff between Maduro and international development. and Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly who declared himself interim president one Violent clashes URENA: Locals look at a bus burnt on the eve during protests after President Nicolas Maduro’s government month ago. The country is gripped by a humanitarian crisis Since dawn, protesters in the border towns of Urena and ordered a temporary close-down of the border with Colombia, in the border city of Urena. —AFP that has seen poverty soar during a prolonged recession San Antonio were kept at bay by the Venezuelan National and hyperinflation. Guard firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Gunshots could be Maduro claims the aid is a smokescreen for a US invasion, heard in the streets of Urena during hours of rioting. Civil ing to rights group Foro Penal. their posts and cross into Colombia. Guaido has offered and has ordered several crossings on Venezuela’s borders defense officials in Colombia said at least 285 people had Maduro’s supporters also halted and set ablaze two trucks amnesty to all security personnel switching sides. with Colombia and Brazil closed. Two people, including a 14- been wounded in clashes at border bridge crossings. loaded with aid driven through barricades on a border bridge, Colombia’s immigration service said at least 60 members year-old boy, were killed in clashes Saturday with Venezuelan But the most serious incident came hundreds of miles sending a pall of black smoke into the sky over the Santander of the armed forces had deserted the “Maduro dictatorship” security forces that left more than 300 people wounded at (kilometers) away, at the Santa Elena de Uairen crossing crossing linking Cucuta and Urena. Two other trucks carrying by late Saturday. Guaido — recognized as interim leader by various border posts. point on the southern border with Brazil where the aid sent by Brazil to Venezuela returned to the Brazilian city more than 50 countries — formally launched a long-planned Guaido had set a Saturday deadline for delivering food killings took place. Another 31 people were wounded of Paracaima after Venezuelan troops barred them from distribution operation at a warehouse at the Tienditas border and medical aid stockpiled in Colombia and Brazil. Hundreds when Venezuelan troops opened fire on civilians hoping crossing for several hours. Some Venezuelan National Guard bridge in Cucuta joined by the presidents of Chile, Colombia of Venezuelans, many dressed in white, were frustrated in to collect aid across the border with Colombia, accord- troops however took advantage of the confusion to abandon and Paraguay. —AFP

Senegal has enjoyed strong growth. The Muslim- Senegal votes majority country has largely escaped the jihadist attacks that destabilized neighbors such as Mali. Sall Pope compares child made infrastructure a priority, including a new air- with President port, motorways and a rail link. But basic services, healthcare and education often remain inadequate, sex abuse to ‘human Sall confident sometimes triggering strikes and protests. Sall faces competition from four lesser-known sacrifice’, vows action DAKAR: Senegal went to the polls yesterday in an rivals who campaigned hard against his plans for a election that incumbent President Macky Sall is second phase of his project, which critics see as a VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis yesterday vowed to tackle tipped to win after his main challengers were waste of taxpayers’ money and a potential debt bur- every single case of sexual abuse by priests in the Roman banned from running. His two biggest rivals in the den. His rivals are former prime minister Idrissa Seck, Catholic Church, comparing pedophilia to “human sacrifice”. first-round vote in the West African nation — popu- Issa Sall of the Unity and Assembly Party (PUR), for- But his public address to the Church’s top bishops at the end lar former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and Karim mer justice and foreign minister Madicke Niang and of a landmark summit in the Vatican on tackling clerical Wade, the son of the previous president — were THIES: A woman gets ready to cast her ballot for Senegal’s assault of minors threatened to disappoint victims. tax inspector-turned MP Ousman Sonko. disqualified after corruption convictions in trials The five-horse race leaves voters with a limited presidential elections at a polling station. —AFP “If in the Church there should emerge even a single case questioned by rights groups. of abuse - which already in itself represents an atrocity - that choice compared to 2012 when 14 candidates vied People queued in large numbers as the polling for the top post, and 2007 when 15 battled it out for case will be faced with the utmost seriousness”, Francis criminal convictions were engineered to rule them station opened at Fatick in the centre of the country, the presidency. Preliminary results were expected promised. “I am reminded of the cruel religious practice, out of the race. once widespread in certain cultures, of sacrificing human where Sall, 56, cast his ballot, as well as at Thies in soon after polling closes at 1800 GMT on Sunday, Supporters of the convicted men staged demon- beings - frequently children - in pagan rites,” he added. The the west, AFP reporters said. But the start of voting but will only become official a day or two later. Some strations, while rights group Amnesty International sexual abuse of minors was “a widespread phenomenon in all was delayed at Grand-Yoff, the stronghold of Khalifa 6.7 million in a population of around 16 million are spotlighted “unfair trials” in Senegal, and a “lack of cultures and societies,” Francis said, and he slammed those Sall. “I want to get home as soon as possible, I’m registered to vote in a country which gained inde- independence” by the judiciary in Khalifa Sall’s case. priests who prey on children as “tools of Satan”. frightened there will be violence on election day,” pendence from France in 1960. The scandals have hit countries around the world, with said 25-year-old voter Fatoumata Sall. “I hope this Senegal has known two peaceful power transfers in 2000 and 2012, and no coups. But election cam- lives devastated from Australia to Chile, Germany and the US. election goes off peacefully and that tomorrow ‘Lack of independence’ The Argentine had opened the four-day meeting by calling paigns are often marred by charges of corruption, everyone will be going about their business — that A candidate must get more than 50 percent to for “concrete measures” against child sex abuse and handing disinformation and sometimes violence. will mean a peaceful vote,” said accountant Lamine prevent a second-round runoff. If no one wins more 114 senior bishops a roadmap to shape the debate on tack- Recent clashes between supporters of rival par- Diatta after he cast his ballot in Dakar. than half the ballots, a second vote is provisionally ling pedophile priests. The 82-year-old had warned victims ties left two dead at Tambacounda, 420 kilometers President Sall, a former geologist who first took scheduled for March 24. The exact timing will be to lower their expectations, saying that much of the work on east of the capital. Authorities also reinforced the presidency in 2012 after beating his former polit- determined by how long it takes to officially pro- tackling abuse would be done post-summit. security and legislation, sometimes at the cost of ical mentor Wade, campaigned for a second term claim the first-round results, and whether there is a But survivors watching his speech closely for signs of freedom, according to rights groups. Officials said change within the centuries-old institution slammed his deci- pitching his “Emerging Senegal” infrastructure proj- challenge. 8,000 police were on duty in urban areas along- sion to spend a lot of time at the start of his speech pointing ect to boost economic growth. “Victory in the first A new system approved by parliament last year side an undetermined number of civilian security out that child sex abuse was not limited to the Church. Swiss round is indisputable,” Sall told a recent Dakar cam- despite opposition party challenges requires candi- staff. The interior ministry said some 5,000 victim Jean-Marie Furbringer said: “Honestly it’s a pastoral paign rally, seeking to emulate all three of his prede- dates to demonstrate they have the support of a observers — including 900 from abroad — were ‘blabla’, saying it’s the fault of the devil”. “They are pulling cessors by landing a second term — Abdoulaye minimum number of citizens and regions. Once the monitoring proceedings. Opposition rallies have the wool over our eyes, so that they don’t have to directly Wade needed just one round in 2007 to secure his new regulations were applied, only seven candidates recently been banned and pre-trial detention for address the Church’s problems. We are not surprised, but we second term. made the cut, two of whom were then disqualified. are disappointed,” he said. —AFP people suspected of “terrorism” extended from 48 Often held up as a model of stability in Africa, Both Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade have claimed their hours to 12 days. —AFP 10

Monday, February 25, 2019 Analysis

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Second Trump and Kim Summit

By Javaid Ahmed

he peace loving people of the world and especially the 7.5 million Korean people are eagerly waiting for the positive Toutcome of the second summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which is expected to be held this week on Feb 27 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Korean leader will be accompanied with by his associate Kim Yong-chol, who has been a key negotiator, and his sister Kim Yo-jong, the official A Vietnamese policeman rides a motorbike past a billboard for the upcoming second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Korean Central News in Hanoi yesterday. — AFP agency has confirmed. Both the leaders met last June in Singapore without any formal and substantive agreements. Both Washington and Pyongyang struggled to Vietnam relishes role as peacemaker broker the agreements on nuclear disarmament and hile the leaders of North Korea and the United Vietnam was at war almost continuously for some 45 Vietnam would also love to see the United States and Javaid Ahmed removal of US-led sanctions States debate banishing nuclear bombs from the years, from the end of World War Two through to the early North Korea sign a declaration of peace to officially end against the North. WKorean peninsula, the host of their summit this 1990s, battling France, the United States, China and the 1950-53 Korean War, said the official, who declined to While sharing borders with China and Russia, North Korea week, Vietnam, long almost synonymous with war, is rel- Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. Far off Geneva and Paris hosted be identified. The war ended with an armistice not a treaty, has witnessed a continuous war and one of the Asia’s earliest ishing its role as a promoter of peace. US President negotiations to end those wars, but this time Hanoi is the and North Korea is keen to sign a treaty, though the United Cold War legacies confronting continuous and paralyzing Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will States has demanded denuclearization first. sanctions and tensions with its counterpart South Korea. meet on Wednesday and Thursday in Hanoi, hoping to Vietnam would also be keen to host a third meeting Expectations are quite high to have peace in the region. Both build on their historic summit in Singapore in June, the first between the leaders, the official said. A successful summit Koreans tried their best to have peace in the region, and between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. would enhance Vietnam’s standing, said Nguyen Quy Binh, between 2000 and 2007, North and South Korea tried their Vietnam’s hosting of the high-stakes talks marks its a former ambassador and permanent representative of best through bilateral visits to each other’s countries without emergence as a trust-worthy, responsible member of the Hanoi seeks Vietnam to the United Nations in Geneva. “Vietnam’s voice any significant results in improving bilateral relations. international community that has forged peace with old will have more weight. A country that acts responsibly and In Feb 2018 however, during the Winter Olympics held in enemies, and can now help others to do so, Vietnamese to balance ties reputably, a country that is trust-worthy, will have a differ- South Korea, both of countries’ teams participated as one officials say. Since emerging from decades of diplomatic ent voice,” Binh told Reuters. Binh mentioned the South Korea during the inauguration ceremony, which surprised the isolation in the early 1990s, Vietnam has been eager to China Sea dispute as a flashpoint and said the United world. Both countries’ ice hockey teams participated and improve ties with large powers and the region to help bal- States could help to balance regional powers and ensure marched under the combined map of Korea. ance its historically thorny relations with giant neighbor, stability. “If Vietnam can do this well, its voice and reputa- China has played a very important and a significant role in China, which confronts Vietnam over claims to the tion in its relations with other countries will benefit.” making peace possible in the region. They have carefully craft- resource-rich South China Sea. Western and Asian diplomats said they expected ed the silent diplomacy and enormously helped North Korea. The boost to Vietnam’s international status that the “city for peace”, Trung said. “Vietnam is a nation that is Vietnam to try to support any reforms in North Korea that The North Korean leader visited China on his first foreign trip summit should confer would support that strategy. Deputy really fond of peace but also had to suffer wars, and usual- the summit bring. Those effort would be enhanced by to China last year, and since then, he has visited China more Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said the United States and ly the wars ended with peace negotiations,” he said. Vietnam’s turn as chair of Southeast Asia’s ASEAN group- than four times. During the painful economic sanctions on North Korea were both keen to hold their summit in ing next year, and a possible spell as a non-permanent North Korea, China has helped enormously, not only economi- Vietnam. “It shows that Vietnam is a responsible and active ‘More weight’ member of the U.N. Secretary Council in 2021. “Hosting cally but also cooperated politically. China is operating flights between Pyongyang and Beijing. member of the international community, wanting to con- Vietnam seems to be taking to its role of mediator with such an sensitive event is a step up for Hanoi. In private, During the first Trump-Kim summit, an airplane was provided tribute to the peace process and that Vietnam’s policy is to gusto. The government has pushed the U.S. and North Vietnamese officials are pretty happy with the way things by China to Kim, and there is a possibility that China’s raise the level of multi-lateral foreign policy,” Trung told Korean security services to work closely to prepare for the are going ... it’s a sweet spot for them,” said a senior President Xi Jinping is also going to visit North Korea this reporters last week. summit, a senior Vietnamese security official told Reuters. Western diplomat. — Reuters year. After the Winter Olympics, both South and North Korean leaders have met three times and talked to each other. Of course, the talks were about their mutual eagerness of finding the common ground on the long process of unification. Parisians wake up However, during April and May, both leaders met at border vil- New kid on the lages two times and made positive gestures, which peace lov- to coffee-fuelled ing people of the world praised highly. Both presidents are blockchain: confident of their mutual friendship, closeness and are very eager to have greater cooperation in different fields. mushroom magic Later, the South Korean president was invited to North Stablecoin vows Korea and was hosted in Pyongyang. The visit was termed as rom a container wafts the sweetly pungent odor of warm and historic in its nature. There is likely possibility that coffee grounds which, far from being discarded as steady crypto this year Kim may visit South Korea and will further expedite waste, are being lucratively recycled to produce the process and talks on unification. During these bilateral vis- F oyster mushrooms. Grounds, which Parisian brasseries its, both the leaders have their mutual desire to make further s the extreme volatility of cryptocurrencies makes throw out daily by the tonne, are perfect for the job, and progress in building cooperation and confidence and come them difficult to depend on for day-to-day use, closer. Both countries agreed to take positive steps to end the a snapshot of a fast-growing urban agricultural trend. another type of virtual currency is gaining popu- The mulch of grounds is mixed with cardboard and A propaganda by loudspeakers operated in the border regions of larity: stablecoins. Seen as more steady because they are the countries. As a journalist, I have had the privilege of visit- wood chips and shoved into lengths of plastic with pegged to traditional currencies such as the US dollar, ing the both the neighboring countries, and had a chance to pieces of mushroom culture. They are then hung verti- stablecoins have been a quiet crypto success, even visit the Demilitarized Zone as well. I have also witnessed war cally in a dark space and left to incubate for a fortnight. though questions remain over their reliability. The total propaganda on both sides. In North Korea, at a place known “We are reproducing undergrowth subsoil condi- value of stablecoins in circulation has more than doubled as the Kaesong industrial area, a joint industrial complex is tions. The temperature and humidity are comparable,” to $3 billion from $1.4 billion over the past year, accord- functioning in which South Korean companies have restarted explains Arnaud Ulrich, co-founder of UpCycle-La ing to a study published by Blockchain, a firm which production activities. More than 124 companies are working in boite ‡ champignons (mushroom box), based in the offers wallets for digital currencies. the area, according to an estimate. Paris suburb of Saint-Nom-la-Breteche. Nestled away Cryptocurrencies are now rarely used to buy prod- It is very unfortunate that since the middle of the last cen- from the light, the spores of mushroom mycelium fun- ucts and services because of their wild price swings, as tury, the Korean War has affected both peoples, but due to gus - a key food source for many soil invertebrates and they dramatically soar or plummet depending on the this cooperation, the affected people have a chance to visit which can also help to clean polluted soil - rapidly speculative interest of the moment. The value of the each other. The scenes of pain of missing relatives on both spread as they would beneath the roots of a tree. After world’s first and best-known cryptocurrency bitcoin, for sides and the glimpses on TV screens are painful to watch. incubation, the bags containing the grounds and 30,000 euro ‘harvest’ and a campaign is under way to example, multiplied by 15 in 2017 before plunging 80 North Korea recently released some US prisoners who were spores, by now completely white, are transferred to a encourage more Parisian cafes to get in on the act. “It’s percent in 14 months. But this volatility could all change arrested in North Korea. Both North and South time zones different room for “fructification”. a virtuous undertaking - we are producing between 20 thanks to stablecoins, according to Garrick Hileman, have already become one. Both countries have established liai- and 30 kilos of grounds a week,” says Romain Vidal, 30 head of research at Blockchain. “They can solve real son offices in their respective countries. Cue the lights and the owner of Le Sully brasserie in Paris and a pio- problems,” he told AFP. According to Tom Shaughnessy, Negotiations are ongoing to make the Korean peninsula There, the lights are switched on and humidity neer of the recycling technique. “And our chef puts the co-founder of cryptocurrency consultants Delphi Digital, nuclear-free. The 1953 armistice agreement is to be expected reduced. Cuts are made in the bags, allowing the mush- oyster mushrooms on the menu for the brasserie’s cus- a reduction in volatility would allow consumers to buy to be replaced with a new peace agreement. Both bordering rooms to emerge. “The mushrooms are ‘stressed’ - tomers,” he adds. simple things like a cup of coffee. countries have upgraded and further strengthened their rail which makes them want to reproduce and free up their The chef concurs, saying he is “delighted”, describ- links with Seoul and Pyongyang. Later, the connection is spores, leave the bags,” says Ulrich. “It simply remains ing the mushrooms as thick and juicy. After every Tethered to the dollar expected to be established between Beijing and Moscow and to harvest them.” Ulrich says urban agriculture is first expresso, every cappuccino, Le Sully’s waiters bag the In a sign that stablecoins are gaining in credibility, US further to Europe. In Singapore, the US and North Korean and foremost about recycling organic waste from cities used grounds which a delivery biker from the coffee investment banking giant JPMorgan Chase earlier this leaders’ summit was an icebreaker. As a result, North Korea as a means of expanding the move towards a regenera- company whisks away so further use can be made of month unveiled a prototype for a digital coin system has started denuclearization, which was conditional with ‘safe- tive, ‘circular economy’ making more judicious use of them. Paris’s deep-rooted cafe culture means there is no using blockchain, known as JPM Coin. A total of 26 sta- ty guarantees’, while North Korea has spoken about lifting the finite resources. shortage of the stuff - the city annually produces blecoins currently exist, while a further 28 excluding JPM longest economic sanctions on the country. “Thirty percent of urban waste is useful biowaste and around 600,000 tonnes of grounds, according to Coin are in development. Most of them are expected to The next summit is expected to have high expectations today, only five percent of this organic matter is recy- UpCycle, which is helping manage similar projects in launch this year, according to the Blockchain study. The from both the America and North Korean leaders. Pyongyang cled,” he notes. “We are just doing what they did in the several other French towns. leader stablecoin in terms of tokens in circulation and is expecting an early lifting of painful economic sanctions, 19th Century, but with modern methods,” he said. At that After harvesting, the already recycled grounds value is tether, which is designed to always be worth $1. while US expectations are quite clear that North Korea should time, “Paris mushrooms” were also born from the idea of embark upon their third lifespan, returning to the Tether represents more than 95 percent of trading vol- end its nuclear program. Both countries are likely to make new recycling organic matter. Market gardeners cultivated ground as compost - or ‘champost’, a play on words peace agreements and the US will likely have to pull back its ume in non-volatile digital currencies and 69 percent of their produce in quarries on the perimeter of the capital with champignon, French for mushroom - mixed in with their combined value. Taking into account all cryptocur- military from South Korea, while North Korea might announce making use of the droppings of the thousands of horses mushroom strands and wood cellulose. With their sys- an end of its nuclear program. Apart from the Korean govern- rencies, tether is second only to bitcoin in daily traded vol- who helped to deliver vegetables to the market at Les tem up and running, Ulrich and co are branching out by umes and seventh in terms of valuation, according to data ments, all multinational companies are also eager to have peace Halles in central Paris. installing “Rocket” compost machines in the heart of in the region. Regardless of the progress or the outcome of the provider Coinmarketcap. According to Blockchain’s Paris’ La Defense business centre. The machines swal- Hileman, stablecoins should be seen as complementing summit, the US and North and South Korean negotiations and Smell that coffee again low up organic waste from restaurants such as peelings engagements, one thing is quite clear - the role of the China’s cryptocurrencies rather than as direct competitors. Today, some 20 tonnes of coffee grounds are col- and leftover food waste, be it meat or fish, as well as “Bitcoin may come to be seen as digital gold,” he said, a Xi, whose charismatic and wise leadership deserves a loud lected each month in and around Paris, the bulk from grass cuttings. The resulting scrunched up waste pro- applause. All leaders, including the US president, Korean pres- place to store value, while stablecoins would serve as a large firms’ restaurants in the west of the city. From that duces compost in record time... which in turn will be uti- means of exchange. — AFP idents and China’s president deserve to be nominated as can- can be produced around two tonnes of oyster mush- lized to spawn more Parisian mushrooms from didates for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. rooms. At 15 euros ($17) per kilo that equates to a September. — AFP Established 1961

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019

US Fed changes its attitude Lexus Kuwait rated Businessbest in service GOFSCO stresses importance of HSE 12to boost economic activity 13 for 2018 in J.D. Power’s 2019 study 14 innovation and excellence at expo

BARCELONA: Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s consumer products division presents the new HUAWEI Mate X foldable smartphone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), on the eve of the world’s biggest mobile fair, yesterday in Barcelona. — AFP Huawei shrugs off threat of US ban Chinese firm breaks price ceiling with $2,600 folding 5G smartphone

BARCELONA: Huawei’s chairman yesterday each country would make decisions based on comments by US President Donald Trump shrugged of the risk that President Donald its own interests, Guo said. that the US needed to get ahead in mobile Trump could issue an executive order ban- Network operators seeking to quickly communications through competition rather ning the Chinese telecom giant, saying the deploy the new wireless networks are in a than seeking to block technology was “clear US, China sprint to seal deal company could succeed without the US mar- bind as Huawei’s 5G equipment is seen as and correct”. ket. Guo Ping said such an order “is not nec- being considerable more advanced than ahead of Trump’s deadline essary and should not be released” but if that of its rivals such as Sweden’s Ericsson Foldable screens issued would have little impact on Huawei, or Finland’s NOKIA. The company has Phone makers will focus on foldable WASHINGTON: US and Chinese Steven Mnuchin said US and Chinese which has become the leading supplier of the 180,000 employees in 170 countries and screens and the introduction of blazing fast negotiators met for over seven hours officials had reached an agreement on backbone equipment for wireless mobile net- counts 45 of the world’s biggest wireless 5G wireless networks at the world’s biggest on Saturday to resolve their trade currency issues, but did not give works worldwide. carriers as customers. mobile fair starting today in Spain as they try dispute and avoid an escalation of details. US officials have long argued “In 2018 Huawei had revenues of over Huawei Technologies unveiled a $2,600 to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones. the tit-for-tat tariffs that have that China’s yuan is undervalued, giv- $100 billion. The share of US in this is really folding smartphone yesterday which it said Huawei will also be in the spotlight at the already disrupted global commerce, ing it a trade advantage and partly off- small. That means the US market can be was primed for next generation 5G mobile four-day Mobile World Congress (MWC) in slowed the world economy and roiled setting US tariffs. ignored by us,” he told a press conference in connections, even as the United States cam- Barcelona as the Chinese telecom giant fights financial markets. China has also committed to buy an Barcelona on the eve of the Mobile World paigns to bar the Chinese company from such US efforts to persuade its allies not to use the The two sides will meet again additional 10 million metric tons of US Congress trade fair. networks over security concerns. company’s technology to build their 5G net- morning as they race to seal an agree- soybeans. Guo added that such a move would hurt Huawei, the world’s second-largest smart- works due to concerns that its gear could ment before a March 1 deadline Reuters reported exclusively on some small telecoms operators in the United phone vendor after Samsung, said it had tak- facilitate Chinese spying. imposed by US President Donald Wednesday that both sides were States that do use its equipment. en the lead on developing phones for 5G - The firm is the leading manufacturer of Trump, who has threatened to dramat- drafting memorandums of understand- US officials suspect Shenzhen-based which promise superfast internet speeds for equipment for the fifth-generation cellular ically hike tariffs on Chinese goods ing (MOUs) on cyber theft, intellectual Huawei’s products could be used by Beijing consumers and businesses - because it was networks which operators are starting to unless there is a deal. property rights, services, agriculture to spy on Western governments and have also involved in developing the networks. install. The technology-known as 5G — Saturday marked the fifth straight and non-tariff barriers to trade, includ- already severely restricted the company’s “This phone is not only for today for 5G will bring near-instantaneous connectivity day of the negotiations between the ing subsidies. On Friday, Trump said he presence in the United States. but also for future 5G. On all the benchmarks for smartphones and devices from automo- world’s two biggest economies. Talks did not like MOUs because they are Washington considers the matter urgent as you can see the performance, the speed is the biles to robots. were extended through the weekend short-term in nature, and he wanted a countries around the world prepare to roll fastest for 5G in the world,” said Richard Yu, “This year we are going to see real 5G after both sides reported progress in long-term deal. out fifth-generation or 5G networks that will head of Huawei’s consumer business group. ready launches happening in different coun- narrowing their differences. The An industry source briefed on the bring near-instantaneous connectivity, vast Speaking ahead of the mobile industry’s tries and the focus will be on where, when, Chinese delegation is scheduled to talks said both sides have narrowed data capacity and futuristic technologies such biggest global event, which kicks off today in how and what are the consumer benefits leave for Beijing today, according to a their differences on intellectual prop- as self-driving cars. Barcelona, Yu said the Huawei Mate X will going to be of 5G in 2019,” said Ian Fogg, a person familiar with their itinerary. erty rights, market access and narrow- The administration has been lobbying allies have two back-to-back screens which unfold mobile industry analyst at OpenSignal, This is the fourth round of negotiations ing a nearly $400 billion U.S. trade to block Huawei from building 5G networks to become an eight-inch tablet display. which collects and analyses data from since Washington and Beijing agreed deficit with China. But bigger differ- and Trump is reportedly mulling an executive Yu said the Mate X would be able to mobile networks. to a ceasefire in their trade war. ences remain on changes to China’s order to stop the Chinese firm from selling download a 1 gigabyte movie in three sec- Huawei and other firms are scheduled to Trump, who has embraced an treatment of state-owned enterprises, advanced equipment in the United States. onds but also be priced at 2,299 euros carry out 5G smartphone demos at the fair “America First” policy aimed at rebal- subsidies, forced technology transfers Huawei strenuously denied its equipment ($2,607) when it goes on sale later this year, even though the next generation wireless net- ancing global trade in favor of the and cyber theft. could be used for espionage. “We have nev- setting a new upper limit for consumer work will not be widely available for several United States, said on Friday there There is no agreement on the er and we are not and we will never allow smartphones. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd more years. was “a very good chance” a deal enforcement mechanism, either. The backdoors in our equipment and we will last week unveiled its own folding smart- Samsung, the world’s biggest seller of would be struck, and that he was United States wants a strong mecha- never allow anyone from any country to do phone, priced at nearly $2,000, in a bid to smartphones, unveiled a handset that folds inclined to extend his March 1 tariff nism to ensure the Chinese reform that in our equipment,” Guo said through an top the technology of Apple Inc and open to be a tablet on Wednesday in San deadline and meet soon with Chinese commitments are followed through, interpreter. Chinese rivals and reignite consumer inter- Francisco, becoming the first major manufac- President Xi Jinping. while Beijing insists upon what it calls “Huawei needs to abide by Chinese laws est amid slumping sales. Huawei, which is turer to offer the long-awaited feature. Extending the deadline would mean a “fair and objective” process. and also by the laws outside China if we also the world’s biggest producer of tele- China’s Xiaomi and several other firms are putting on hold a scheduled increase “Enforcement is a difficult puzzle,” operate in those countries. Huawei will never, coms equipment, is under intense scrutiny in expected to follow Samsung’s lead and pres- in tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent said the source, who requested and dare not, and cannot violate any rules the West over US-led allegations of ent foldable devices of their own in Barcelona on $200 billion of Chinese imports anonymity to speak candidly about the and regulations in the countries where we enabling Chinese state espionage, accusa- although it was not clear if they would be into the United States. talks. “You need objective arbitrators operate,” he added. The United States did not tions which the company denies. prototypes or commercially available devices Trump and US Treasury Secretary to make a decision.” — Reuters represent the whole world and Huawei hoped Huawei’s chairman said yesterday recent such as Samsung’s. — Agencies 12

Monday, February 25, 2019 Business

US Fed changes its attitude to boost economic activity Compromise likely to avoid a ‘No Deal Brexit’

KUWAIT: Last week, the US Federal Reserve cemented is still unclear if the amendments will satisfy the UK. There their dovish policy shift with the release of the FOMC’s is also building optimism that the UK parliament could January meeting minutes. The Fed’s updated policy rheto- vote next week to force the government to request an ric in January, surprised market participants through two Article 50 extension in an attempt to take the threat of signals. First, the Fed dropped their rate hike bias and sec- “No Deal” Brexit off the table. The parliamentary vote on ond, indicated that they are now planning to maintain a the 27th February is the next known key date for the larger than expected balance sheet. pound performance and Brexit. The release last week’s FOMC minutes provided further insight into the Fed’s updated plans for their balance sheet. Slowdown in Europe The minutes revealed that Fed officials wanted to Looking at the eurozone, the euro’s slight gains were announce “before too long” a “plan to stop reducing the capped by growing concerns over continued economic Fed’s asset holdings later this year.” The Fed is now weakness in the trade bloc. The latest eurozone manufac- expected to formally announce updated balance sheet turing PMI dropped below the 50.0 level, and was par- plans in March. ticularly weak in Germany where it fell to 47.6 in In terms of the Fed’s rate hiking schedule, the minutes February. The reading has heightened concerns that provided little further clarity for what is to be expected in slowing global growth and trade tensions were weighing 2019. There is broad support amongst officials however, to heavily on the European economy. In contrast, the serv- be “patient” when setting monetary policy in order to ice sector performed slightly better increasing 0.9 points allow more time to assess developments in economic to 52.4 in February. However, growth in the Eurozone has activity and financial conditions. With inflation cooling been at a four-year low of 0.2 percent in the past two down and the policy rate close to “neutral”, the Fed sees quarters, and ECB policymakers see a risk of the region’s “few risks” in leaving policy unchanged in the near-term. economic performance remaining below par for the next The potential end of quantitative tightening and a slower several quarters. rate hiking cycle show the Fed is reacting to market devel- In the minutes of the European Central Bank’s January opments such as the fall in equities last December and an meeting, the bank downgraded its assessment of the eco- expected slowdown in global growth for 2019. The dovish nomic outlook, saying the risks to growth were no longer stance is a sign that the Fed is flexible and will continue to “broadly balanced” but had “moved to the downside”. This support the US economy appropriately based on econom- prompted the governing council to confirm that it will ic conditions. debate in its next meeting, whether to offer a fresh round Finally in the US, trade negotiations began with the of cheap loans to support the economy. Chinese on Thursday over the details of a set of agreements The minutes were consistent with the recent dovish aimed at ending their trade war. Just one week remains ECB rhetoric as they displayed more concern over the before the March 1st US deadline expires and triggers high- weakening economic outlook. The ECB could also consider tariffs from Washington. If the two sides fail to reach an er extending their forward rate guidance leaving rates on agreement, US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese hold for a longer period of time. Officials were still cau- imports are set to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent. tiously optimistic however, saying there was no urgent President Trump gave markets some relief saying that the need to act as the risk of an outright recession remains low deadline could be extended if enough progress is made. and that the strength of the region’s labor markets support The US dollar index lost around 0.4 percent but held growth by boosting domestic demand. up relatively well against its major counterparts supported by equities which nudged higher this week. Japan’s exports decline Year-to-date, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 have risen Japan’s exports reported their biggest decline in over around 10 percent. two years dropping 8.4 percent year-on-year in January, a vastly larger decline than the 5.5 percent expected. The Brexit data came as business sentiment sunk to a two-year low In Europe, the pound outperformed the euro trading on mainly driven by trade friction and fears of a global slow- a stronger footing driven by building optimism that “No down. Japan’s exports to China, its biggest trading partner, Deal” Brexit is likely to be avoided at the end of March. fell by 17.4 percent year-on-year. It is clear that a major supported by OPEC supply cuts and US sanctions on by risk adverse attitudes due to trade and geopolitical The latest development in the Brexit negotiations revealed strain on Japan’s economy is coming from overseas Venezuela and Iran. However the gains were capped due uncertainties. Gold on Friday moved slightly lower from its that the UK and EU are working on a new kind of legal demand, with economic weakness in Europe and China to slowing growth in the global economy and unresolved Wednesday high to $1,329. instrument that will give clarity over the temporary nature negatively impacting Japan’s export sector. trade disputes between the US and China. International of the Irish backstop that was heavily opposed by the Brent crude futures on Friday, hit $67.60 a barrel, up 53 Kuwait British Parliament. However, the new declaration is not Oil prices reach 2019 high cents from Thursday’s close. Gold prices were in a similar Kuwaiti dinar at 0.30345 expected to be released before the end of February and it Oil prices reached their highs of the year last week, scenario reaching this year’s high Wednesday supported The USDKWD closed at 0.30345 on Thursday.

WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD France’s Societe Generale grapples with several major headwinds Investors, in New York. In a recent still a lot of headaches coming, whether May be time such as Brexit and trade negotiations. note to clients, Morgan Stanley equity it is Brexit, China - what is the (trade) Growth investors typically search for strategist Michael Wilson said that the package going to look like? - the legal to cut 1,500 jobs: Report for growth to companies that have higher profit stocks that got hit first and hardest stuff in Washington,” said Steve PARIS: French banking group Societe Generale is planning to cut growth and margins, while value during last year’s “rolling bear market” DeSanctis, equity strategist at Jefferies 1,500 positions in its BFI corporate and investment banking arm, Le investors look for stocks that seem would lead the recovery this year and in New York. The Russell 1000 Value Figaro newspaper reported on Saturday. run out of gas inexpensive. rally the hardest. That prediction forward PE also sits right at its long- Citing internal bank documents, the paper said the bank was look- Shortly after the S&P hit its most appears to be playing out as areas such term average of about 13.8 while the ing at two scenarios, both of which envisage 1,500 job cuts world- recent record on Sept. 20, thanks to the as transportation, considered cyclical Growth index is nearly 20, well above NEW YORK: A return to fashion of wide, with around 700 of them in France. The company said in a outperformance by growth, especially value, have been among the leaders to its historic average of 17.5. One chal- statement on Saturday it was still reviewing activities in its corporate growth stocks in 2019 helped lead the technology stocks, the spread between the upside this year. lenge, even though value is relatively and investor client business so it was not possible to comment on the overall market out of a year-end shake- the Russell 1000 growth and value Wilson anticipated the Federal cheap, is that financials have a heavy impact on jobs. “We have an ongoing dialogue with our unions and out, but another multi-year run of indexes had surpassed the levels hit Reserve will hold off raising interest weighting in value indexes and a Fed will consult them on our projects and their impact as soon as the growth performing better than value during the end of the dot-com era. The rates further and that the global econo- pause will make it harder for those firms review is completed in the coming weeks,” the bank said. French may not be in the cards. The S&P 500 fourth quarter selloff helped that nar- my would bottom in the first half. He to grow profits. Even though, as of the CGT union representative Philippe Fournil could not confirm the has rallied nearly 18 percent since its row but it began to widen again shortly favors value over growth, with a focus last reconstitution of Russell indexes in information, but said the bank’s management had on Thursday indi- Dec. 24 low. During that time the Russell before the new year. on cyclical over defensive stocks. Value June, the financial services sector saw cated it was still reviewing activities within that business. 1000 Growth index has fared even bet- “The valuation imbalance we have stocks also remain cheap relative to the most significant decrease in index The review is part of a plan to reduce costs by 500 million euros ter with a gain of almost 20 percent seen between growth and value in the growth shares, with their widest for- weight in the largecap 1000 value ($567 million), the bank said earlier this month on announcing its while the Russell 1000 Value index has largecap space ... when we have seen ward price-to-earnings ratio spread in index, it still was 29.1 percent. In the financial results. lagged with a gain of about 17 percent. that inflection point in the past there over a decade. And while investor wor- Russell 2000 Smallcap Value financials Fournil said its management had pledged to get back to the union That marks a reversal from the has been a very powerful long-term ries about a recession, which helped command a weighting of 40.5 percent. within “4 to 8 weeks” with more details. Societe Generale reported fourth quarter, when value outper- rally where value has outperformed fuel the fourth-quarter sell-off, have “If value is going to work, it has to be higher-than-expected profits in 2018 but said it would adjust its tar- formed as stocks nearly tumbled into growth and we think that is coming abated, a number of headwinds remain financials,” said Mark Stoeckle, CEO at gets and those of its investment bank for next year anticipating finan- bear market territory, a trend some up,” said Phil Orlando, chief equity that could make value more attractive Adams Funds in Baltimore in an inter- cial headwinds ahead. — AFP analysts feel will return as the market market strategist, at Federated as market uncertainty rises. “There are view with Reuters. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Egyptian Pound - Transfer 17.332 Chinese Yuan Renminbi 45.370 Chinese Yuan 0.043813 0.047313 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.222 Thai Bhat 10.720 Hong Kong Dollar 0.037023 0.039773 Tunisian Dinar 103.150 Indian Rupee 0.003704 0.004476 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Turkish Lira 57.705 Jordanian Dinar 429.500 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000017 0.000023 Euro 346.420 Singapore dollars 223.338 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 0.203 Japanese Yen 0.002666 0.002846 Sterling Pound 400.460 Syrian Lira 0.000 Korean Won 0.000260 0.000275 Canadian dollar 233.720 Morocco Dirham 32.407 Bahrain Exchange Company Turkish lira 58.410 Malaysian Ringgit 0.070778 0.076778 Swiss Franc 307.370 Nepalese Rupee 0.002609 0.002949 CURRENCY BUY SELL US Dollar Buying 297.000 Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Pakistan Rupee 0.001559 0.002329 Europe Philippine Peso 0.005811 0.006111 British Pound 0.390912 0.404812 Singapore Dollar 0.219939 0.229939 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate Czech Korune 0.005452 0.014752 ASIAN COUNTRIES Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001363 0.001943 US Dollar 304.140 Danish Krone 0.042210 0.047210 Japanese Yen 2.749 Taiwan 0.010157 0.010337 Canadian Dollar 230.090 Euro 0. 338345 0.352045 Indian Rupees 4.280 Thai Baht 0.009399 0.009949 Georgian Lari 0.132000 0.132000 Pakistani Rupees 2.221 Sterling Pound 394.795 Vietnamese Dong 0.00013 0.00013 Hungarian 0.001147 0.001337 Srilankan Rupees 1.691 Euro 346.100 Norwegian Krone 0.031336 0.036536 Nepali Rupees 2.668 Swiss Frank 308.365 Arab Romanian Leu 0.065204 0.082054 Singapore Dollar 226.840 Bahrain Dinar 808.820 Bahraini Dinar 0.792591 0.809091 Russian ruble 0.004656 0.004656 Hongkong Dollar 38.773 UAE Dirhams 83.210 Egyptian Pound 0.017111 0.019711 Slovakia 0.009095 0.019095 Bangladesh Taka 3.583 Qatari Riyals 84.445 Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000086 Swedish Krona 0.028560 0.033560 Philippine Peso 5.851 Saudi Riyals 82.000 Iraqi Dinar 0.000211 0.000211 Swiss Franc 0.298208 0.0309208 Thai Baht 9.764 Jordanian Dinar 430.255 Jordanian Dinar 0.424898 0.433898 Malaysian ringgit 77.826 Egyptian Pound 17.298 Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000 Sri Lankan Rupees 1.697 Australasia Australian Dollar 0.209074 0.221074 Lebanese Pound 0.000157 0.000257 GCC COUNTRIES Indian Rupees 4.265 Moroccan Dirhams 0.022112 0.046112 Pakistani Rupees 2.189 New Zealand Dollar 0.202421 0.211921 Saudi Riyal 81.201 Omani Riyal 0.784071 0.789751 Bangladesh Taka 3.625 Qatari Riyal 83.633 Qatar Riyal 0.079294 0.084234 Philippines Pesso 5.815 America Omani Riyal 790.903 audi Riyal 0.080060 0.081360 Cyprus pound 18.095 Canadian Dollar 0.226667 0.235667 Bahraini Dinar 808.560 Syrian Pound 0.001290 0.001510 Japanese Yen 3.750 US Dollars 0.300200 0.305500 UAE Dirham 82.904 Tunisian Dinar 0.095364 0.103364 Syrian Pound 1.590 US Dollars Mint 0.300700 0.305500 Turkish Lira 0.050829 0.062329 ARAB COUNTRIES Nepalese Rupees 2.675 Asia UAE Dirhams 0.081425 0.083125 Egyptian Pound - Cash 19.600 Malaysian Ringgit 75.265 Bangladesh Taka 0.003051 0.003852 Yemeni Riyal 0.000989 0.001069 13 Business Monday, February 25, 2019 Lexus Kuwait rated best in service for 2018 in J.D. Power’s 2019 study Lexus ranked highest in overall vehicle dependability among all brands

KUWAIT: Lexus is once again the highest-ranked Lexus brand is continuing to evolve with an increased service in Kuwait. It is the one of our core strategies to automaker in J.D. Power’s 2019 annual Vehicle emphasis on technology, performance, art, fashion - to offer ensure we offer a guest service that is consistent with the Dependability Study (VDS), with owners experiencing an “experience amazing”. It is successful in launching many first- hospitality that Kuwait’s is famous for. The Al-Sayer board average of 106 problems per 100 vehicles. Lexus ranked time technologies including active safety, car manufacturing will continue to support the necessary initiatives that will highest in overall vehicle dependability among all brands and on-board premium features. guarantee this high level of service to our customers”. with 106 reported problems per 100 vehicles. This is the The 2019 US Vehicle Dependability Study is based on Abdulla Alshuwaie, GM of CR, said in this occasion, eighth year in a row that Lexus has topped the VDS. responses from 33000 original owners of 2016 model- “although we have a dedicated CR team that sole function At the same time, Lexus was voted best Service in year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study to ensure we offer the best support to our customers, this Kuwait which reflects the strong commitment by Al-Sayer that was fielded in October-December 2018, measures the award is a testimony of the strong commitment of the Lexus Lexus to offer only the best service consistent with Lexus number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles team towards offering only the best service to our cus- strategy to offer an amazing experience to their customers. (PP100) during the past 12 months. A lower score reflects tomers. We thank our customers for their trust in us and Lexus is continuing to be brave, thoughtful and imaginative. higher quality, and the study covers 177 specific problems their votes for Lexus, we continue to assure them of our At the heart of every Lexus design is “Takumi Craftsmanship” grouped into eight major vehicle categories. The overall dedication to ensure their ultimate satisfaction”. He added “I where craftsmen use their vast experience to achieve one sin- industry average improved to PP100 to 136 PP100 from am thrilled that our Service award came at the same time gle goal, perfection. As a result, all Lexus vehicles are created 142 PP100 in 2018. that Lexus VDS result came at the same time which is with masterful skill and attention to detail, utilizing state-of- Mubarak Al-Sayer COO said that “it is no surprise that another testimony for the high quality of Lexus that also the-art technologies to deliver an engineering masterpiece. the Lexus team continued to strive to offer best possible ensures an ever-amazing experience to Lexus owners.

pushing managers to drastically reduce Kraft Heinz spending. But that philosophy can lead to the elimination of investments needed to drive profit and sales growth, and it can be Buffett dreams of facing painful undermined by a market downturn. The food industry has for several months faced ‘elephant-sized’ downside of a rise in logistic costs and ingredients and materials. austerity Kraft’s strategy worked for two years, acquisition allowing it to generate profit margins that were the envy of its rivals. But growth in WASHINGTON: Billionaire investor Warren Buffett approach sales stalled in the first quarter of 2017, has yet to name a successor and at age 88 still and six consecutive quarters of poor per- dreams of making an “elephant-sized” acquisition, he formance led to an asset write-down of said in his annual letter to shareholders. The letter to NEW YORK: The American food giant $15.4 billion on two of its flagship brands, shareholders of Buffett’s holding company, Berkshire known for its iconic ketchup and hotdog Kraft and the Oscar Mayer meat products. Hathaway, is considered a must-read on Wall Street, brands is facing the downside of austerity JPMorgan analyst Kenneth Goldman distilling the views of the “Oracle of Omaha” on the as a strategy for boosting profits. warned that “the intense cost-saving state of the economy and the wisdom of investing in Kraft Heinz, born of the $49 billion efforts will, over the long run, sort of erode this or that investment product. merger of Kraft Foods and Heinz in 2015, brands ... if the belt-tightening strategy In the latest edition, Buffett says it is the prospect had a disastrous fourth quarter, posting a goes too far.” Kraft has built its reputation of an “elephant-sized acquisition” that causes his net loss of $12.6 billion on Thursday, lead- on products such as ready-to-eat maca- heart, and that of his longtime partner, 95-year-old ing to a plunge of 27 percent in the share roni and cheese, while Oscar Mayer is Charlie Munger, “to beat faster.” price on Friday. known for deli meats and hot dogs and “In the years ahead, we hope to move much of our A scathing article in the Wall Street Heinz for its ketchup and other condiments. excess liquidity into businesses that Berkshire will Journal called that proof that the compa- But consumer tastes have been chang- SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA : Boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese are displayed on a grocery permanently own,” he said. “The immediate ny’s “experiment in radical cost-cutting ing, with rising concerns about health store shelf on Friday. — AFP prospects for that, however, are not good: Prices are has failed.” issues and a growing shift from processed sky-high for businesses possessing decent long-term “The company’s management has few foods to fresh produce. “All they have done ers made with fresh beef. Volokhine said edged. But as he added in a call Thursday prospects,” he added. At the moment, Berkshire good options,” it said. is lower costs as competing companies like Kraft Heinz seems to have “applied recipes with analysts, “We still believe strongly Hathaway has more than $100 billion in liquid assets Controlled by the Swiss-Brazilian bil- Danone and Nestle invest in products that that worked for a time, but the problem that our model is working and has a lot of that would be rapidly available if an opportunity lionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, via the are more in line with current public was no longer in the expenses but in prod- potential for the future.” should present itself. investment firm 3G Capital, and American demand,” said Gregory Volokhine at ucts that became obsolete,” like Jell-O The company is considering dropping The investor remained silent on who might succeed billionaire Warren Buffett, who holds 25 Meerschaert Capital Markets. desserts. failed brands, a step that would allow Hees him as Berkshire’s CEO but he was unstinting in his percent of the company’s capital, Kraft To make up for its shortfall, Kraft Heinz to pave the way for a merger, which could praise of his two lieutenants, who since 2018 have tak- Heinz has relied on its famed zero-based New acquisitions rapidly deployed $300 million last year to achieve more savings and boost profits. en the reins of essential day-to-day operations: Ajit budgeting approach to cost-cutting. Many companies in the food industry beef up brand marketing, recruit salespeo- The company approached Unilever, Jain and Greg Abel. The decision to give them a more have responded to the changing trends: ple, improve its supply chain and modern- which makes Lipton tea and Dove soap, in central role was “overdue,” he said. One of the two Justify any expense McDonald’s, the world leader in fast food, ize its recipes. “We were overly optimistic 2017 but withdrew its $143 billion offer men is expected to succeed Buffett. “Berkshire is now Basically, that system requires every in 2016 stopped selling chicken treated on delivering savings that did not material- after news of its talks with the Anglo- far better managed than when I alone was supervising expense to be justified in each period, with antibiotics, and now offers hamburg- ize,” CEO Bernardo Vieira Hees acknowl- Dutch giant became public. — AFP operations,” he said. In terms of results, the year did not end well for Buffett. His bet on Kraft Heinz, maker of the famous ketchup and instant macaroni and cheese, erased near- Water worries zation of fishermen also has objected to the dam, saying ly $3 billion from Berkshire’s bottom line, which Water-stressed Nisar has said he took up Pakistan’s water worries as it will hurt their business. Salman Shah, a former nonetheless posted $4 billion in earnings. Kraft Heinz- a personal campaign after Syed Mehar Ali, commissioner Pakistani finance minister, said in a televised interview in which Berkshire has a 25 percent stake-announced Pakistan looks for of the country’s Indus water treaty, testified in a court that completing the Diamer Basha dam could take more a roughly $15 billion write-down of its assets stem- hearing last July about worsening water scarcity risks in than 12 years as the dam site is mountainous and falls in ming from its failure to adapt to changing consumer the country. Ali told the court that the country’s three an earthquake risk zone, necessitating strong and extra tastes. Buffett also once again criticized an accounting billions in donations western rivers - the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - carry stable construction. rule that requires including unrealized gains or losses nearly 140 million acre feet (MAF) of water but the coun- But he believes that if the water storage dam can be in the calculations of net quarterly results. With a stock to build dams try has water storage capacity for less than 14 MAF. built, international investors will come in to provide the portfolio valued at $173 billion at the end of 2018, Much of the water flowing down the river ends up infrastructure for power generation from the dam. “wide swings in our quarterly GAAP earnings will in irrigation channels, but at least 29 MAF simply flows “Energy generation is a good profit-earning source in inevitably continue.” MUZAFFARABAD: As Pakistan faces worsening water to sea, he said. Pakistan needs to store 25 MAF of Pakistan,” he said in the October interview. — Reuters GAAP stands for Generally Accepted Accounting scarcity - and trouble sourcing international cash for water each year to help shore up water security, the Principles. hydropower dams it says it needs - it has turned to an commissioner said - and that would require a series of “Indeed, in the fourth quarter, a period of high unlikely source of cash: A fundraising campaign backed by new large dams, he said. volatility in stock prices, we experienced several the country’s top court judges. Last year Mian Saqib Nisar But building them has proved difficult. An effort to days with a ‘profit’ or ‘loss’ of more than $4 billion,” - then the country’s chief supreme court judge - donated a construct a large-scale hydropower dam in Gilgit India lowers tax he wrote. — Reuters million Pakistani rupees ($7,400) of his own money to start Baltistan, a Kashmir border region disputed with India, the drive, calling water shortages a major national threat. for instance, has had trouble attracting multinational The drive aims to raise as much as a staggering $14 bil- funding. The proposed Diamer Basha also has proved on new home sales lion toward the cost of installing water reservoirs and oth- controversial within the country, facing opposition from er equipment for two major dams. Nisar retired in January some environmental and farmer groups. ahead of election from the court, but the current panel of top judges have Development experts, as well, say charity won’t be taken over the push. enough to build the volume of dams Pakistan needs. MUMBAI: India yesterday announced a cut in the Some politicians from government opposition parties Sardar Riaz Ahmed Khan, a former development sec- goods and services tax charged on sales of residential have dismissed the effort, calling it inappropriate and retary in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, said dona- properties under construction, according to television doomed to fail. “Building dams is not the responsibility of tions can give citizens a sense of ownership in solving news channels. the court,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of party the water crisis, but “it’s useless to say that dams will The Goods and Services Tax Council, comprising Pakistan Peoples’ Party. be built by contribution”. state and federal finance ministers, announced that But efforts to solicit donations from as far away as the Muzammal Hussain, chairman of Pakista’s Water and the new rate will be 5 percent, down from the current United States and Britain, largely from expatriate Power Development Authority (WAPDA), however, has 12 percent, on all housing projects which were not in Pakistanis, have raised $70 million as of mid-February said work on the Daimer Basha dam, which could store the affordable housing category, the reports said. toward the “Chief Justice Dam Fund”, according to the more than 9 MAF of water and generate clean electrici- The council also decided to lower the tax rate on Supreme Court of Pakistan’s website. The country’s green- ty, will begin in May. affordable housing projects to 1 percent from 8 per- leaning Prime Minister Imran Khan backs the effort. Initial work on a second, less controversial dam - the cent. The council also altered the definition of afford- “Water (scarcity) has been Pakistan’s number one issue Mohmand, on the Swat River near Peshawar - started able housing and said any house built on an area of and the country may face shortages by 2025 if dams are last month. 60 square meters or less in the metro cities of India In this ﬁle photo, Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of not built,” Khan warned in a state television address last Pakistan’s government has provided funding for will now be categorized as affordable housing, Berkshire Hathaway and Co-Chairman of Goldman September. He has urged Pakistanis living overseas to acquisition of land for both projects. according to the reports. For non-metro cities, the Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, attends a donate generously to the effort, comparing the battle to Dozens of farmers from Sindh province marched to area would be 90 square meters and below, the news press conference in Detroit. — AFP combat water scarcity to a holy war. “Pakistanis, do take Karachi last October to protest construction of the channels said. — Reuters part in this jihad,” the prime minister urged. Diamer Basha dam on the Indus River. A leading organi- 14 Monday, February 25, 2019 Business GOFSCO stresses importance of HSE innovation and excellence at expo Global conference and exhibition on health, safety and security held in Kuwait

KUWAIT: Gas & Oil Field Services Company (GOFSCO), one of the largest integrated service providers in Kuwait specializing in the upstream and downstream oil and gas sector, both onshore and offshore, hailed success to its recent sponsorship and participation at the 3rd Kuwait International Health, Safety, Security & Environment Conference & Exhibition (KIHSSE) which was held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel & Spa, Kuwait from 18-20 February 2019. The exhibition was held under the patronage of Dr Khaled Al-Fadhel, Minister of Oil & Minister of Electricity & Water, State of Kuwait, and is considered one of the world’s most prominent events in the HSE arena. The event, which was under the theme of ‘Transforming HSE culture for a resilient future’, gathered influential oil and gas and HSE experts to share their wealth of knowledge and exchange ideas for a brighter more sustain- able future for the energy sector. During the opening ceremony, Eng Hussam Ali Marafie - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at GOFSCO participated in the Plenary Session - Leadership Panel which was under the theme of ‘Leadership Role in Transforming HSE Culture’. Eng. Marafie highlighted his involvement from a managerial perspective and the approach adopted to ensure the sustainability of positive and proactive HSE culture within GOFSCO, while addressing several challenges which were dealt with to achieve HSE excellence across all practices. maintaining our commitment to the HSE standards.” GOFSCO’s participa- Eng Hussam Ali Marafie - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at tion at the exhibition featured the Oilfield Solar Pump, which has been GOFSCO said: “We are pleased with our participation in this renowned designed to help reduce the ecological environmental footprint effects by event as we share the objectives behind this platform. At GOFSCO, we reducing CO2 emissions for a healthier environment. GOFSCO’s booth also pride ourselves in being among the upper echelons of the oil and gas aimed at introducing the visitors to the QHSSECare system, which is cur- services companies, in pioneering for a safer, cleaner and secure future. rently being used by GOFSCO. The system is designed to share intensive With HSE continuously being integrated into our business cultural norms, training courses regarding the HSE standards and the required measures we are able to further enhance our methods of conducting business for to be abided by the employees towards maintaining a healthy, safe and our partners, employees, environment, and the society as a whole, while secure work environment.

But Bowery is also making heavy use of Tech connection robotics and artificial intelligence to Race on to make urban keep prices under control. The combination of these newer boosts NY tools “is how we really rethink what agriculture viable, durable agriculture will look like in the next vertical farmers century and beyond,” Fain said. The PARIS: In a world faced with the conundrum of mountains of waste company has also benefited from more and obesity for some and dire shortages and malnutrition for others than $120 million in funding from tech KEARNY, US: Workers at Bowery the future of food is a main dish on today’s global menu. titans including Google Ventures and Farming’s warehouse near New York A key ingredient is the trend in ever more imaginative forms Uber Chief Executive Dara have swapped out a farmer’s hoe for a towards urban agriculture, a multi-faceted recipe already being pored Khosrowshahi. computer tablet that takes real-time over by some 800 million people globally, according to the UN’s Food The Silicon Valley connection has readings of light and water conditions. and Agriculture Organization. The trend takes many forms-from col- also boosted San Francisco-based Launched in 2015, Bowery is part of lective market gardens in even the most run-down of urban districts Plenty, another prominent vertical the fast-growing vertical farming move- to connected vertical farms using indoor farming techniques to meet farming company, which has garnered ment, which employs technology in a spiralling food demand in areas largely bereft of arable land. more than $200 million from Amazon controlled, man-made setting to grow The FAO wants to see the trend prosper and become durably Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, Softbank fresh vegetables indoors all year long. and sustainably embedded within public policy. Yves Christol, of and others. US-based Crop One and Champions of the practice see verti- French cooperative In Vivo, has identified six models of the genre. Emirates Flight Catering have launched cal farming as a key tool to meet the They include a key European variant, electronically managed a $40 million joint venture to build a world’s food needs at a time when the without recourse to pesticide-or even soil or sunshine. giant vertical farming facility in Dubai. population is rising and the climate is NEW JERSEY: AeroFarms co-founder and chief marketing ofﬁcer Marc Oshima (R) changing. The company’s chief execu- checks baby kale grown in a vertical grow tower in Newark, New Jersey. Green beans means ... Iceland Profitable? tive and co-founder, Irving Fain, said AeroFarms, founded in 2004, is the largest vertical farm in the world. — AFP “That has allowed Iceland to become a major producer of green The world’s biggest vertical farm is his company’s Kearny, New Jersey site beans,” says Christol, thanks to geothermal heating. Asian countries in Newark, New Jersey and operated uses fewer resources than traditional are also in on the act, not least Singapore, with the high density by AeroFarms. developing the best algorithm. The the possible solutions.” Critics of verti- farms and does not employ pesticides. population city state bent on ensuring high-tech food autonomy. The company, founded in 2004 and company produces watercress that cal farming say it has a large carbon “I have been a big believer my entire Japan and China have sought to give new life to sites which once considered a pioneer in the sector, reminded a reporter of her grandmoth- footprint due to heavy use of lighting life in technology as being able to solve hosted electronics factories even if the strategy appears costly. China remains privately-held and does not er’s soup, kale as tender as spinach and and ventilation. not only hard problems, but also impor- has launched some urban farms even in areas where the soil has been disclose financial data. But the compa- arugula with a hint of spice. But defenders say that this negative tant problems,” said Fain, who previ- polluted by heavy metals and would be too costly to clean up. The ny says it is now profitable after a Basil from Bowery Farming was impact is more than offset from the ously ran a company that provides data US model, as cities including New York and Chicago seek to become series of fumbles. David Chang, founder tinged with the flavor of lemon. benefits of lower water use, the location analysis for big companies on their loy- sustainably hunger-proof, includes hydroponic gardens-effectively of the noodle restaurant brand But it can take a while for vertical near population centers and the non- alty programs. Bowery employs more eschewing soil and using mineral nutrients in a water solvent, Momofuku, is an investor. farms to find solutions that are viable. use of pesticides. A bigger issue may programmers than agricultural scien- although profitability can prove elusive. But scale is an issue and the AeroFarms exclusively uses compa- “The big, big vertical farms are having be the limitations of the output itself, at tists. The company says its use of algo- concept will not be viable “so long as the price of the vegetables is ny-made technology that has now a difficult time being profitable because least in terms of nutrition. “You can’t rithms enables it to be 100 times more not increased fourfold,” to cover energy costs, says Christol. made its way to China, the Middle East they are so capital-intensive at the feed the world with salad alone,” said productive per area compared with a and Europe, said its co-founder Marc beginning,” said Henry Gordon-Smith, Princeton University plant researcher traditional farm and to use 95 percent Strawberry containers for ever Oshima. In a warehouse that was once founder of Agritecture, a consultancy. Paul Gauthier, who says vertical farm- less water. The cost of transporting food is something which particularly a steel mill with 40-foot (12-meter) Large farms typically need seven or ers will need to develop more protein- exercises entrepreneurs such as Guillaume Fourdinier, a founder of ceilings, the company is growing kale eight years before they are profitable, rich offerings. Lower electricity costs French start-up Agricool in Paris and Dubai. and arugula leaves set in rows of 12 with smaller farms requiring perhaps Gauthier-who grew spicier pep- Vertical farming has long been prac- His firm produces strawberries year round in shipping contain- metal racks each. The roots are sus- half as long. But entrepreneurs in the pers in his own lab by subtly increas- ticed in Japan and some other places but ers fitted out with LED lighting. Urban agriculture’s raison d’etre, pended in the air as they are intermit- business are confident in their ing potassium levels-said vertical it did not take off in the United States he says, comprises fighting against “the ecological disaster of tently irrigated while the leaves bask prospects as more young people in farming could supply fresh food to until recent technological leaps made it transport”. “Today, with our containers, we are 120 times more pro- under LED lights. AeroFarms experi- cities express worry about climate so-called food “deserts” where it is viable. A key component has been LED ductive per square metre than on open ground,” says Fourdinier. ments regularly with lighting and nutri- change and pesticides. “Vertical farm- absent and could in the long-term “We produce in decentralised fashion and closer to customers,” he bulbs, which have enabled indoor farm- ents with an eye towards finding the ing is not THE solution to food securi- meet growing food demand as the cli- adds of strawberries sold marginally cheaper than their organic ers to drastically cut electricity costs. optimal recipe for each plant and ty,” said Gordon-Smith. “It is one out of mate changes. — AFP equivalent. Paris has meanwhile come up with its own urban agriculture model, dubbed “Pariculteur,” a series of town hall-mandated time on other projects.” Williams throttled back his projects designed to cover as much of the capital as possible with Twitter co-founder role in the San Francisco-based startup eight years greenery via a rise in urban farming. ago, turning his attention to a new endeavors includ- An initial 10 hectares (25 acres) for the project is set to grow to ing creating popular online publishing platform 30 hectares by next year. Urban ecologist Swen Deral, who over- Evan Williams Medium. Williams ceded his role as Twitter chief saw a pan-European urban agriculture project last year, says if the executive to Dick Costolo in 2010. Co-founder Jack concept is to be financially viable in cities it has to go “beyond pro- leaving board Dorsey returned as Twitter chief in 2015, having held duction”. “Either they recycle, or else they create services linked to the position when the startup was nascent. urban agriculture, educational activities, restaurants and the like,” Dorsey said in a Tweet that Williams was the reason he explains. Researchers point to urban agriculture’s additional SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter co-founder and one-time he joined startup Odeo, an endeavor that led to him, benefit of fighting against the effects of climate change as its pro- chief executive Evan Williams is stepping down from Williams and Biz Stone creating Twitter. “I appreciate ponents seek to reinvent urban existence. the board, leaving the one-to-many messaging serv- you, Ev!” Dorsey tweeted on Friday. “We’re going to Francois Mancebo, researcher at France’s Reims University, ice to focus on “other projects.” miss your voice in our board conversations.” Twitter summed up the challenge in an article published by peer-review Williams will depart the Twitter board at the end of has become a high-profile, and sometimes controver- open access publisher MDPI and entitled “city gardening: manag- this month, according to a filing with the US sial, global stage for communication since it was ing durability and adapting to climate change thanks to urban agri- Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. “It’s launched in March of 2006. “Thank you, @jack and culture.” Mancebo says the concept must become an integral part been an incredible 13 years, and I’m proud of what @biz for starting this crazy company with me-and con- of urban planning with local politicians underlining the need for Twitter has accomplished during my time with the tinuing to make it better and better,” Williams tweeted. active participation of city dwellers. — AFP company,” Williams said in the filing. “I’m going to ride off into the sunset (or...down Market Twitter co-founder and CEO Evan Williams “I will continue rooting for the team as I focus my Street), so I can focus on some other things.” — AFP Established 1961 15 What’s On Monday, February 25, 2019 LAPA holds Essa Al-Marzouq Concert at Shaheed Park

n celebration of the ongoing national anniversaries, ILOYAC Academy for Performance Arts (LAPA) recently organized a concert for artist, Essa Al-Marzouq at the Shaheed Park’s amphithe- atre. The concert was sponsored by Ooredoo. Wearing the same red jacket he used in his commercial ad for Ooredoo, Al-Marzouq sang a number of songs from his new album in addition to a number of patriotic songs that highly appealed to the audience. He finally presented the jacket to one of the audience.

l-Sultan Brahim restaurant regard, the restaurant’s operations sponsored the public authority manager, Abed Akkawi expressed Al- Afor disability’s festivity held in Sultan Brahim’s pride in taking part in celebration of the national anniver- the festivity and stressed that it is saries on February 20, 2019 at the always ready to take part in such social care houses complex. In this activities.

The Kids World bilingual kindergarten recently celebrated the national and liberation days anniversaries at the defense ministry’s camp. The ceremony was attended by kids and their parents and it included several competitions and recreational activities.

and our innovation to ensure that people have access to to restaurants across Kuwait, who will be able to reach Deliveroo serves up the best price, selection and service with Deliveroo.” new customers and grow their businesses through by The company tapped young Kuwaiti talent, Seham delivery. Restaurants who partner with Deliveroo see Al Husaini to head its operations in the Kuwaiti market, their revenue increase by up to 30%, as we provide launch in Kuwait taking on the role of General Manager of Deliveroo restaurants with valuable insights and world-class tech- Kuwait. Al Husaini joins Deliveroo from her previous nology to help grow their own business.” eliveroo yesterday announced its official launch role as COO for Shipa Freight, an online platform by Deliveroo will also bring a track record of expert in Kuwait, bringing its expertise in connecting Agility, that specializes in the booking and tracking of operations to Kuwait. Deliveroo has invested heavily in people with the very best local restaurants to shipments. She will use her expertise in operations to developing world-leading technology and efficient D ensure locals in Kuwait are provided with the best food operations, and its riders deliver food from the restau- one of the world’s most colorful gastronomic scenes. With its innovative, technology-driven service model, delivery experience. rant kitchen to the customer in around 30 mins. Deliveroo will enable the people of Kuwait to order “Launching Deliveroo in Kuwait is incredibly excit- Deliveroo’s algorithm ‘Frank’ matches riders with cus- amazing food whenever and wherever they want it, with ing. We have an amazing food culture here and we can’t tomers’ orders and ensures a quick, reliable delivery. delivery in around 30 minutes. wait to bring the people of Kuwait their favorite food Deliveroo also seeks to constantly innovate across Deliveroo is launching in Kuwait with over 900 right to their doorstep as fast as possible. We also look its markets. Deliveroo will invest in tech innovation that restaurants, including Five Guys, Zaatar W Zeit and forward to supporting our restaurant partners by supports its restaurant partners in Kuwait. For example, Shake Shack, delivering a diverse mix of global chains ensuring they have the best global delivery partner,” its Virtual Brands offering will enable restaurants to and local favorites, to ensure people have options for said Al Husaini. increase their selection for consumers, and Deliveroo’s every occasion. The company has seen global success The company’s worldwide sales grew to $358m unique data insights will help restaurants to improve and rapid expansion and is already available in markets (£277m) for the year 2017 by year-end, a jump of their performance and grow their businesses. across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Kuwait is the 116%. In 2017, Deliveroo also raised almost $500m Deliveroo is an award-winning delivery service company’s 14th market, following its launch in Taiwan in (£387m) in funding, with the company becoming one of founded in 2013 by William Shu and Greg Orlowski. October 2018. Europe’s fastest growing startup, just a handful of UK-domiciled “unicorns”, which have Deliveroo works with over 80,000 best-loved restau- Deliveroo currently works with 80,000 restaurants and a valuation of more than $1bn (£770m); as Deliveroo rants, as well as 60,000 riders to provide the best food 60,000 riders around the world. has a valuation in excess of $2bn. Al Husaini further delivery experience in the world. Deliveroo is head- On the occasion, Will Shu, Founder and CEO of added that Deliveroo has a global track record of help- quartered in London, with 2,500 employees in offices Deliveroo said: “Deliveroo is all about bringing people ing restaurants to grow and innovate in the food sector, around the globe. Deliveroo operates in over 500 amazing food whenever and wherever they want it and and this is something Deliveroo will now bring to towns and cities across 14 markets, including Australia, I am delighted that we are now launching in Kuwait. Kuwait. Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Kuwait is a really exciting market with a vibrant local She further noted: “One of our main goals is to sup- Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab food scene, and we are excited to bring our expertise port local restaurants. Deliveroo will be a major boost Emirates, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. 16 Health & Technology Monday, February 25, 2019 New Ebola case in eastern DR Congo, first in 23 days

KINSHASA: A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in an area where authorities NASA greenlights SpaceX believed the epidemic had been brought under control after 23 days without any fresh infections. crew capsule test to ISS In an update issued on Friday, the health WASHINGTON: NASA on Friday gave “This is an absolutely critical first step ministry said the new case had been discov- SpaceX the green light to test a new crew that we do as we move towards returning ered in the conflict-wracked Beni region. “It capsule by first sending an unmanned craft the crewed launch capability back here to seems the patient was infected after being with a life-sized mannequin to the the US,” said Gerstenmaier, speaking at a exposed to bodily fluids from a patient who International Space Station. press conference in Cape Canaveral, had recovered from Ebola. A detailed investi- “We’re go for launch, we’re go for Florida. The March 2 flight will be identical gation is under way along with virus docking,” said William Gerstenmaier, the to a flight that is set to take two astronauts sequencing to determine the epidemiological associate administrator with NASA to the ISS later in the year, possibly in July. link,” it said. Human Exploration and Operations. A The Crew Dragon capsule has seven The announcement came just three days JUBA: Members of UNICEF medical staff carry a dummy patient during an infection, prevention Falcon 9 rocket from the private US-based seats. It should dock with the ISS on after the ministry had reported “major and control training in Juba, South Sudan. The training exercises have been implemented while SpaceX is scheduled to lift off, weather March 3, then detach and return to Earth progress”, saying the epidemic appeared to the threat of Ebola reaching the country remains high with around 460 people having been killed permitting, on March 2 to take the Crew on March 8. have been brought under control in the by the virus across the border in DRC. —AFP Dragon test capsule to the ISS. “I guarantee everything will not work Beni area. NASA signed contracts in 2014 with exactly right, and that’s cool, that’s exactly More than 500 people have died since have emerged this month. in Beni, Katwa and Butembo. An epidemic can SpaceX and Boeing for the companies to what we want to do,” said Gerstenmaier. the deadly haemorrhagic virus broke out last Over the past 21 days, there have been 58 only be declared over when the country has shuttle US astronauts to the ISS. This will “We want to maximize our learning so year in August in the North Kivu region cases confirmed in Katwa and 16 in Butembo, not recorded any new case of Ebola for 42 be the first time the US space agency when... we’re ready to go do a real which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Beni the ministry said. So far, 536 people have consecutive days. lets a private-sector company transport crewed mission, and it’ll be the right safe- had been particularly hard hit, accounting died as a result of the Ebola epidemic, which International health experts have been their astronauts. ty for our crews.” for 118 of the fatalities. Despite hailing the broke out on August 1. helping out in eastern DR Congo but efforts NASA ended its space-shuttle program SpaceX has already made more than a in 2011 and since then has relied on buying dozen unmanned trips since 2012 carrying progress, the ministry had warned Beni was Under a program which began a week lat- to contain the disease have been hampered spots on Russian Soyuz rockets to send supplies to the ISS with the cargo version at risk from the neighboring areas of Katwa er, 82,583 people have been vaccinated by violence in the region, where militia US astronauts to the orbiting ISS. of the Dragon capsule. — AFP and Butembo, where scores of new cases against the disease, nearly two thirds of them groups are rampant. — AFP

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Lifestyle MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019

A reveler wearing a mask and a period costume takes part in the Venice Carnival yesterday in Venice. — AFP ‘Beauty boot camps’ key to Philippine pageant dominance

Aspiring beauty queen Monica Joelle Ortiz cooking lunch in her house in Aspiring beauty queen Monica Joelle Ortiz at a gym in Manila. An aspiring beauty queen putting on make-up before the start of the “duck Manila — AFP photos walk” practice.

odgil Flores casts a stern taskmaster’s glance as grimacing young What they did was to raise the level of pageant training,” Flores told AFP. by teams of amazing people who will lift you up as you make all your prepa- women in bikinis stride across one of the mirror-walled studios that is “Our evolution (into) a beauty pageant superpower compels every Filipina rations,” Gray told reporters on Wednesday. Before the Manila boot camps Rcentral to making the Philippines a beauty pageant juggernaut. In 17- competing internationally to prolong this streak,” the 50-year-old added. arose, the country’s Miss Universe and Miss World contestants were sent to centimetre (seven-inch) stiletto heels, the stu- Manila’s beauty boot camps effectively create a train at similar camps in Venezuela and Colombia, which have also had consis- dents sway their hips between long slow strides, production line of contenders for the Miss tent pageant successes. a brutal drill that Flores requires them to repeat Universe crown. Their students come up from This was a significant expense in a nation where 21 percent of the popula- in order to make the act of sashaying second the country’s circuit of local beauty competition lives on less than $2 a day and getting visas can be tricky. Ric Galvez, nature come pageant time. “For crown. For The rise of the camps turned tions and then hone their skills in a bid to reach overall coordinator of Missosology.org, a Philippines-based pageant country”, is the slogan of the Kagandahang “ “ the next level. Miss Philippines 2019 hopeful resource website said the contests have a deeper cultural resonance for Flores (Flores Beauty) studio he set up in 1996, the Philippines into a beauty Melba Ann Macasaet, 25, took extended leave Filipinos. The events hark back to the annual pageants that have been held at the first of a handful of Philippine beauty boot from her job as a government pharmacist to join village and town festivals for hundreds of years. Beauty queens are held up as camps that have helped transform the nation’s pageant powerhouse Flores’ beauty studio. though they are royalty in the Philippines and often take public stances on pageant fortunes. It took her two weeks and several miscues to key social and welfare issues. With the naming of Catriona Gray as Miss master his signature stride, called the “duck During the Miss Universe pageant Gray spoke in favor of medical mari- Universe 2018, the Philippines took home its walk”. “I have been joining pageants since I was juana, which some lawmakers feel has helped advance a bill to legalize fourth title in what is considered the summit of 15 years old. I believe that every pageant girl has cannabis-containing medicines in the Philippines. Galvez said: “Filipinos the beauty contest world. Both Gray and 2015 winner Pia Wurtzbach trained dreams of being able to try and do this,” she said. It will be about another are looking up to their beauty queens for some sort of guidance on matters in the Philippines’ beauty studios before securing their wins. Success in the month before she knows if she has made the cut for the pageant, which of national relevance.” — AFP pageant world can open doors to commercial, film, and modeling work. “The organizers expect to be held in June. rise of the camps turned the Philippines into a beauty pageant powerhouse. Patriotism and pageantry The beauty boot camp runs six days a week and sessions often stretch on till midnight. Some 200 hopefuls a year take part in the training at Flores’ studio, which include gym workouts, make-up lessons, and duck walk drills. There are also formal classes where the students take part in mock pageant situations, learning to deliver concise responses to tricky questions on world peace and equality usually asked of contestants. Training is free for Filipinas, who camp organizers usually recruit from provincial contests. Beauty industry benefactors pitch in to cover costs and many people donate their time to help shape what they hope are future champions. “We don’t earn anything, but we do this out of our passion for beauty pageants,” said Arnold Mercado, the manager and personality development coach of Aces & Queens, the other main Philippine pageant camp. Mercado, 51, quit his job as an engineer for an oil company after 28 years to focus full time on pageant coaching. He counts Wurtzbach and Gray among Aspiring beauty queens wearing stilleto heels as they waith for the start of the “duck Aspiring beauty queens looking at a mirror before the start of the “duck walk” practice. those he mentored. “We’re so lucky here in the Philippines to be surrounded walk” practice. 18 Established 1961 Lifestyle Features Monday, February 25, 2019

Auctioneer Ali Tuna (center) shows items to the audience at an auction house in Istanbul’s Balat district. An auctioneer shows items to the audience at an auction house in Istanbul’s Balat district. Bargain auctions offer Istanbul consumers more bang for buck

oing, going, gone! resonate the enticing chants of auctioneers in the narrow streets of a trendy Istanbul neighborhood, fascinating onlook- Gers who are surprised, not so much by the fast pace of the bidding, but by the prices in such economically troubled times. Auctions may have a reputation for being the staid preserve of the wealthy to joust politely for rare col- lectibles or master paintings that can go for millions of dollars. But this is not the case in Balat, a historic neighborhood on the shores of the Golden Horn estuary frequented by tourists and locals alike who enjoy the hipster cafes and historic churches. Here, secondhand objects, from used furniture to toys, go for knockdown prices. Istanbul doesn’t have a tradition of jumble sales, although there are secondhand shops. But, about five years ago, low-price auction houses began to spring up in Balat, giving residents another way to rid themselves of unwanted goods. And with shop prices rising as the Turkish lira has tumbled, losing nearly 30 percent of its value against the dollar last year, the auctions offer a welcome alternative. Auction houses now regularly pack in the crowds, and for many, it is their first time. “I came here for a walk with my son but when I heard the chant and saw the sign that it is free to join, we popped in out of curiosity to see what an auction looks like,” said Murat, standing in Auctioneer Ali Tuna shows items to the audience at an auction house in Istanbul’s Balat district. front of the cashier, having won the bidding for a laser pen for his son at 10 lira ($2, 1.7 euros). “I have never been to an auction before. I always thought it increased tempo, holding up a blue Ford model car. “It was very competitive,” is for rich people. “I really like the ambiance here. It was quite fun and the remarked Nil Su, a university student, who paid 50 lira to get the model for prices are very reasonable. “I will definitely come again,” he said. her younger brother. “I could have bought it at a much lower price but for that man,” she said, smiling, as she pointed to an older man sitting in the front ‘Dynamic ambiance’ row who kept raising the bid. The auction houses go all-out to create an experience that draws people in. Auctioneer Ali Tuna invites those who hesitate at the door to come in and ‘Affordable prices’ take a seat. Cracking jokes to put people at ease, Tuna banters with the audi- Still, many believe the auctions offer a good deal, which isn’t something to ence like a standup comedian. Wearing a black fedora style hat and a clip-on be sniffed at, given that Turkey has faced a sharp surge in its inflation rate, mic, he skillfully describes every item to the crowd, walking it around to give which hit a 15-year high in October at more than 25 percent. “With the cur- people a closer look, be it a simple pen, dagger or silver mirror. rent state of the economy, people’s purchasing power has drastically “I must keep the ambiance dynamic,” said Tuna. “I cannot let the energy dropped,” said Yavuz, who both buys and sells items at the auctions. “Here die down.” To some, “the guy with the hat” is half the reason for coming they can find products at more affordable prices.” back. “You meet different people, some are coming to satisfy their appetite Ercan Altan, who has transformed his coffee house in Balat into an auction for antiques and some merely for five-penny items,” said Tuna. house, said that not all starting prices were as low as $2. “There are some products you cannot start the bid from $2, like this gramophone,” he said. Outbid A street vendor sells traditional Turkish backery called “Simit”. “We start, let’s say with 1,500 lira ($280) and sell it to the closest bid.” Arda An entertaining atmosphere, almost like a show, is important to the busi- Gurler, who runs an online auction website for old documents and engravings, ness model. As the commission charged for selling bargain items is low, the enue source. “It’s really fun here,” said Hulya Sahin, a middle-aged woman. “I said the Balat auction houses were not for serious collectors-but acknowl- houses need to auction a large volume of goods, so having a room packed join the auctions as a social activity.” edged that wasn’t the point. “It is like a spontaneous theatre over there. When with clients is critical. Some auction houses double as cafes, adding to the Then there is the excitement of bidding, and getting a good deal. “Ten lira, you stay five minutes, you enjoy the ambiance.” — AFP attractiveness of the atmosphere and provide organizers with another rev- 10, but I am looking for 15, now 20, now 35, 40 and 50,” Tuna chanted with

People sit at an auction house as an auctioneer shows items to the audience in Istanbul’s Balat district. An auctioneer shows items to the audience at an auction house in Istanbul’s Balat district.

‘The Donald’ is a muse for Trump-loving Albanian painter

ielding a weapon made of dollar bills, tackling Barack Obama, challenging George Soros to an Warm wrestle-Donald Trump is the hero of a Tirana art show by an Albanian painter who considers the US president an “idol”. The 61-year-old artist, Avni Delvina, says the work is his response to international media’s broadly negative reaction to the Republican president’s unorthodox approach to politics. “It is the product of two years of work from my strong anger about the reactionary attack on Trump,” Delvina told AFP, describ- ing the former reality TV star and real estate tycoon as a “free spirit”. The art exhibit in Tirana, titled “The Donald”, show- cases nearly 50 Trump-inspired paintings, including one with First Lady Melania sitting in for Mona Lisa. When asked to explain his adulation of Trump, Delvina cites a George Orwell quote: “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” Although the US president is rou- tinely accused of flubbing the facts, the artist sees him as a brave warrior in a fight against “fake news”-a label Trump likes to use against critical media. There is a strong pro- US sentiment in much of Albania, where American flags are a common sight. After Trump’s shock electoral victory Visitors look at paintings by Albanian artist Avni Delvina during the exhibition ‘The Donald’ in Albanian artist Avni Delvina poses for a photo in front of his paintings during the exhi- in 2016, a town in central Albania renamed a boulevard in Tirana. — AFP photos bition ‘The Donald’ in Tirana. his honor. — AFP 19 Established 1961 Lifestyle Awards Monday, February 25, 2019

Regina King (second right) holds the award for Best Supporting Female and Barry Jenkins (third left) holds the awards for Best Director and Best Feature all for “If Beale Street Could Talk” in the press Glenn Close accepts Best Female Lead for The Wife onstage dur- room during the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards, in Santa Monica, California. —AFP photos ing the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards. ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ takes top prize at Film Independent Spirit Awards

f Beale Street Could Talk” was crowned best picture on Saturday at the Film Independent Spirit Awards- Ias Oscar favorite “Roma” scooped best international film. Directed by Barry Jenkins, “If Beale Street Could Talk” took two other prizes: best director for Jenkins, Regina King accepts Best Supporting Female for If Beale Street and best supporting actress for Regina King. It follows Could Talk onstage. the story of a young African-American woman (KiKi Layne) who seeks to clear her husband’s name before the birth of their son. Jenkins, whose film is nominated in three categories at Sunday’s Oscars, was frank in his acceptance speech. “I’m not gonna lie, man. I didn’t want to win this damn award. With everything going on in the world, it just feels strange to be up here,” he said. “And so, I’m going to take this. But I want to take it by thanking all the women involved in If Beale Street Could Talk to make it the film that it was.” Meanwhile, Glenn Close continued her sweep of this awards season, winning best actress for her role in “The Wife.” The veteran actress is a favorite Bo Burnham accepts Best First Screenplay for Eighth Grade to take the same accolade at Sunday’s Oscars. “It’s very onstage. hard for me to accept the win-lose situation. I don’t think there’s any losers,” she told reporters on the red carpet Director Nicole Holofcener (right) and Playwright Jeff Whitty in Santa Monica, California-which was actually blue- pose in the press room with the award for Best Screenplay in accompanied by her dog, Pip. “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won in the only category in which is was nominated: interna- “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”-but he doesn’t think he’ll tional cinema. “I’m optimistic, we are reaching a moment win in the same category at the Oscars. in which greater diversity is happening in cinema, and I “It’s been carved in stone for the last month that a think this greater diversity is going to make very soon wonderful brilliant actor Mahershala Ali has got the this category irrelevant,” he said. award already,” he told reporters, referencing Ali’s nomi- He may be right: “Roma” is nominated for 10 nation for “Green Book.” Best first feature went to Boots Academy Awards, including best film-and it is a hot Riley and “Sorry to Bother You”-and the rapper and favorite to become the first non-English language film to filmmaker took the chance to make a political point on win the top prize. Filmed in Spanish and Mixtec and the crisis in Venezuela. “The CIA is trying to have a coup based on Cuaron’s childhood, it tells the story of a young in Venezuela ... we should all putting our voices out to indigenous woman (Yalitza Aparecio) who is a domestic stop the US from having regime change for oil in worker for a rich family in 1970s Mexico City. British Venezuela,” he said upon receiving his statue. — AFP Barry Jenkins poses in the press room with the Best Director actor Richard E. Grant won best supporting actor for and Best Feature awards for the film If Beale Street Could Talk.

Joe Bini poses in the press room with the Best Editing award for the film You Were Never Really Here.

Cast and crew of Suspiria, winners of the Robert Altman Award, pose in the press room.

Alfonso Cuaron accepts Best International Film for Roma onstage.

2019 Indie Spirit Awards Winners

Best feature: “If Beale Street Could Talk” Best director: Barry Jenkins, “If Beale Street Could Talk” Best female lead: Glenn Close, “The Wife” Best male lead: Ethan Hawke, “First Reformed” Best supporting female: Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk” Best supporting male: Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Best screenplay: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Morgan Neville poses in the press room with the Best (From left) Lindsey Cordero,Caroline Kaplan, and Genoel Ramirez pose in the press Debra Granik accepts the Bonnie Award Documentary award for the film Wont You Be My Neighbor? room with the John Cassavetes Award for “En el Septimo Dia”. onstage. Whitty, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Best documentary feature: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Best international film: “Roma” Best first feature: “Sorry to Bother You” Best first screenplay: “Bo Burnham, “Eighth Grade” Best editing: Joe Bini, “You Were Never Really Here” Best cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, “Suspiria” John Cassavetes Award: “En el Septimo Dia” Robert Altman Award: “Suspiria” Producers Award: Shrihari Sathe Someone to Watch Award: Alex Moratto, “Socrates” Truer Than Fiction Award: Bing Liu, “Minding the Gap” Bonnie Award: Debra Granik. Cast and crew of Suspiria accepts the Robert Altman Award onstage. Cast, crew and producers of Sorry to Bother You accept Best First Feature onstage. 20 Established 1961 News Monday, February 25, 2019 Tech companies scope out Africa surveillance sector RABAT: At a security exhibition in Morocco “safe cities” are capable of instantly detecting tech companies pushed to convince African anything from everyday crimes and accidents officials that their state-of-the-art surveil- to natural disasters and civil unrest - and to lance tools are the key to stability and devel- trigger quick responses. With big data and opment. The ASEC Expo in Rabat, billed by artificial intelligence, crowds are no longer organisers as the first of its kind on the conti- anonymous. Facial recognition algorithms nent, last week brought together firms from coupled with troves of readily available data across the world looking to conquer new online can pinpoint the identity of anyone markets in a region marked by rapid urban- who passes by a surveillance feed. ization and economic growth. And while Vehicles can be identified by their number Europe has slapped restrictions on an indus- plates, and ultra-high tech software can even try eyed with suspicion by many due to civil detect human emotions and predict behavior. liberty concerns, African countries with lax “We can establish anyone’s identity without legislation make tempting partners. knowing him - his first and last name, aca- Chinese communications giant Huawei had demic background... his family, what he a large presence at the event, hyping the suc- prefers, where he travels,” Huawei regional cess of networks already installed in the capi- representative Chakib Achour said. These tals of Kenya, Cameroon, Mali and the Ivory data sets are useful to police pursuing crimi- Coast. “When a crime has been committed, nals and to companies looking for potential thanks to the cameras, we work magic,” said customers, advocates say. Ghanian security minister Albert Kan-Dapaah But the risk of mass surveillance has in a promotional clip for the company. “My sparked concerns among civil liberties advo- command center is the envy of many of my cates. Authoritarian regimes across Africa are colleagues.” frequently accused of violating rights to Huawei has already equipped more than stamp out opposition. In its annual report for 700 cities in 100 countries, including more 2019 Human Rights Watch singled out Egypt than 25 in Africa, according to the state-run for using counterterrorism measures and Xinhua news agency. But the firm is in the security concerns “as a guise to crush all spotlight over concerns it could give Beijing a forms of dissent”. Fears over surveillance backdoor into sensitive communications and spurred the European Union in 2018 into infrastructure, with the United States and enacting a strict new General Data Protection Australia to ban its equipment from their Regulation (GDPR). Europe now has restric- future 5G networks. Just a dozen companies tions on “technology that could be developed ABIDJAN: Ivorian police officers monitor surveillance cameras in the control room of Ivory Coast’s Security Ministry on Feb 19, 2019. — AFP run the booming global video surveillance in the Middle East or Africa”, said Francois market, a $30 billion industry as of 2017 Levy, regional director of Brazilian software which research firm Stratistics MRC has fore- company Digifort. Marrakesh is working on an app that in taxis, airports, and stadiums, as well as without effective privacy protections in law or casted will have double digit growth over the Morocco, which organized the exhibition, would allow citizens and tourists alike to images taken by ordinary citizens with their in practice, and often people are unaware that next few years. says it needs a strong security policy to fight “place emergency calls” and send in tips, mobile phones. their data is being gathered, or how it is used A representative of South Korea’s Hanwha terrorism and has shown a strong interest in boasts regional security official Moulay El In its 2019 global report Human Rights or stored,” the report said. For Africa, adopt- Group said the African market was “very the far-reaching technologies. “Citizen securi- Hafid Zimirly in a Huawei-sponsored clip. In Watch detailed how the Chinese government ing the technology on offer would open up a strong... because there is a lot of opportunity ty has always been the focal point” of its commercial material, Huawei openly push- at home increasingly uses mass surveillance major pool of data - but also questions. By for us to supply our products”. “We had a lot Morocco’s city planning and “underlies the es the “example” set by China, “where all to “tighten control over society”, including 2020 more than one out of every two people of sales last year and this year,” particularly in great project of urban renewal that we con- police stations have their own video surveil- through the widespread collection of biomet- on the continent will have a smartphone, Egypt and South Africa, Yoonboom Choi said. tinue to lead”, said head of Rabat city council lance unit”. The company offers authorities ric details including DNA and voice samples. according to a 2018 study published by The new high-tech command centres of Mohamed Sadiki during a visit to the expo. the chance to tap into troves of images taken “All of these systems are being deployed Deloitte. —AFP

tor general in 2015. with the failed coup against himself in 2016. Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign ministry yesterday con- Erdogan criticizes “Of course, we are going to be told that it is a decision The Turkish president also called for the release of demned the Office of the United Nations High of the judiciary, but there, justice, elections, all that, are Muslim Brotherhood prisoners in Egypt. “First of all, he Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for criticizing codswallop. There is an authoritarian system, even totali- should release all those imprisoned with a general trials that led to the execution of nine people last week. Egypt executions tarian,” Erdogan added. “Now, I am answering those who amnesty. As long as these people have not been released, The OHCHR voiced concern on Friday that trials that led wonder why Tayyip Erdogan does not speak to Sisi, we will not be able to talk with Sisi,” he said. Erdogan to the executions of 15 people in Egypt this month may ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan because there are mediators who come here sometimes, also attacked Western countries which, according to him, have been unfair amid allegations that torture was used sharply criticized his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah but I will never talk to someone like him,” he said. “roll out the red carpet” for Sisi and turn a blind eye to to obtain confessions. Al-Sisi after the recent execution of nine people in Relations between Turkey and Egypt have been virtu- the latest executions in Egypt. “Where are the “Egypt rejects any reference to allegations that con- Egypt, saying he refused to talk to “someone like him”. ally non-existent since the Egyptian military, then led by Westerners? Have you heard their voices?” he said. “On fessions were extracted,” the ministry said in a statement, “They killed nine young people recently. This is not Sisi, in 2013 ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, a the other hand, when it comes to people imprisoned in adding that it “rejects any infringement upon the something we can accept,” Erdogan said Saturday in an close ally of Erdogan. Morsi’s Islamist Muslim our country (Turkey), they scream bloody murder.” Egyptian judiciary.” Since 2013, Egyptian courts have interview with Turkish TV channels CNN-Turk and Brotherhood is outlawed in Egypt but members of the Amnesty International condemned the executions of the issued hundreds of death sentences. Only a small propor- Kanal D, referring to the execution Wednesday of nine group have sought refuge in Turkey. Erdogan, who men, who it said were convicted in trials marred by tor- tion have been carried out, though the rate of executions men sentenced for the murder of the Egyptian prosecu- denounced Morsi’s ouster, sometimes draws a parallel ture allegations. has risen since 2015, rights activists say. — Agencies

central issue and to make it a top priority for the inter- ambassador to Rabat, Thomas Reilly, as an “important Amir hails Arab- national community. What we see today as hotbeds of Harry, Meghan opportunity to promote the strong relationship tension in our region is due to this issue being over- between the British and Moroccan people”. London is Europe ties, warns... looked and not achieving a just and comprehensive meet schoolgirls... aiming to replicate Rabat’s trade deal with the solution that the brotherly Palestinian people and the European Union once Britain leaves the bloc, the diplo- Continued from Page 1 entire Arab people look forward to,” Sheikh Sabah said. Continued from Page 1 mat added. At the conclusion of his speech, the Amir extended Bilateral trade is valued at £1.8 billion by the British We also have a shared space, a common sea and geo- his gratitude to the Secretary-General of the League of 2016, a figure which rises to 44 percent for girls and government, although the economic partnership falls far young women. Asni is close to the mountainous area short of that which Morocco has with Spain, Germany graphic interaction on the ground, all of which enhance Arab Ahmad Abul-Gheit and the High Representative of where two Scandinavian women were murdered in or France. Reilly, who posted a photograph online of the our engagement and strengthen our cooperation.” the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and December and some British media have raised fears royal couple with a youth football team in Asni, was due The Amir affirmed that such facts “enable us to cre- Vice-President of the European Commission Federica ate mechanisms of coordination and partnerships over safety during the royal tour. But local diplomatic to host a reception with the couple at his Rabat resi- Mogherini and their bureaus for their valuable efforts in sources have dismissed concerns about security in dence later yesterday. Today, the Duke and Duchess of through which we can support and develop our rela- preparing for this important meeting. He renewed his tions and expand their horizons to achieve the common Morocco, where on Thursday police dispersed protest- Sussex, as they are formally known, will attend a horse wishes of success to the first summit of Arab and ing teachers with water cannon in the capital Rabat. interests of our countries in the economic, education, riding program for young disabled people in Rabat. European leaders. “Medical provisions” have been made for Meghan, Harry and Meghan, who are being hosted by the energy and investment levels”. “We trust that the Europeans view the summit, EU sources told AFP, as who is due to give birth in the spring, according to offi- Moroccan royal family, will also see a cooking demon- future of our cooperation is promising. The volume of a way to protect their traditional diplomatic, economic cial sources. The royal visit was described by Britain’s stration and meet young entrepreneurs. — AFP trade exchange between our countries has exceeded and security interests while China and Russia move to $326.5 billion. Today, we are witnessing progress and fill a vacuum left by the United States. The summit in development in our cooperation towards higher levels. the southern Sinai desert is heavily guarded by We are also confident that we are able to catch up “very much under control of the Bangladesh Army”. Egyptian security forces who are fighting a bloody with what has passed us in recent years with regards “The army’s special forces conducted the operation and insurgency a short distance to the north. Climate Bangladesh to achievements in terms of mutual cooperation and in the armed man has been neutralized,” he said. Rahman change, migration, trade and investment were on yes- all fields,” he said. plane hijacker... said an investigation would be conducted into how the “We are all aware of the magnitude of the threats terday’s agenda, EU sources said. Conflicts in Syria, man “passed airport security details with a gun”. “It will and the challenges we face due to the difficult security, Yemen and Libya are to be discussed today. Arab take some time,” he said. political and economic conditions, which requires of us League hosts said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will Continued from Page 1 Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 165 million, to call upon you to work with us in order to confront also be raised. has struggled to grapple with homegrown extremism in them. We believe in the prominent and vital role played European leaders first mentioned the summit in The operation took less than 10 minutes and the recent years, including the murder of atheist bloggers by the European Union on the international stage in Austria in September amid efforts to agree ways to plane has been searched and declared worthy to fly and progressive activists by Islamist outfits. In a deadly dealing with many issues and challenges that are com- curb the illegal migration that has sharply divided the again, Rahman said. The country’s civil aviation chief, attack claimed by the Islamic State group in 2016, mili- Nayeem Hasan, earlier said the suspect had claimed to tants killed 22 people including 18 foreigners at an mon to all of us. The most prominent of these issues are 28-nation bloc. But checking migration is just part of have a bomb aboard the flight. “From the talks and dia- upmarket cafe in Dhaka popular with Westerners. That those pertaining to security and stability in the Middle Europe’s broader strategy to forge a new alliance with its southern neighbors. Mogherini insists that the gath- logue we have with him, it seems he is psychologically attack prompted a swift crackdown by Prime Minister East,” the Amir said. deranged,” Hasan said after the man was arrested. Hasina, with hundreds of suspected militants and their HH Sheikh Sabah commended “the outstanding role ering in Egypt of around 40 heads of state and government is about much more than migration. Another army spokesman, Abdullah Ibne Zaid, said sympathizers arrested or killed in raids across the played by the European Union in facing many of the Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport was country. — AFP issues on the international scene”, adding that “the Tusk, met yesterday with Sisi to help set the agenda, European role in confronting the terrorism phenome- EU sources said. A UN official warned that Europe’s non is an exceptional one. We had the privilege of failure to bridge divisions on migration “risks blocking cooperating and engaging on this issue, as it is a com- all the other discussions” at the summit. The EU has Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah exchanged greetings mon challenge and represents a direct threat to our struck aid-for-cooperation agreements with Turkey and Amir exchanges with local officials on the advent of the 58th National joint security and stability”. “In addition, the role played Libya’s UN-backed government in Tripoli, which has Day and 28th Liberation Day. The Crown Prince by the European Union at the humanitarian level is an sharply cut the flow of migrants since a 2015 peak. But congratulations... received a cable from Speaker Ghanem and MPs, advanced and pioneering role, whereby the generosity the official said broader cooperation with the Arab who congratulated HH Sheikh Nawaf and HH Sheikh of European countries has always been outstanding in League, which includes Libya, is limited without the EU Sabah on the national occasions. The cable wished meeting the humanitarian needs of societies,” he said. being able to speak in one voice. Continued from Page 1 the Kuwaiti leadership and people ever more “We have seen this in the rapid response to meet the Marc Pierini, a former EU ambassador to Tunisia and progress and success. HH the Crown Prince sent a and giving for the dear homeland and attain further appeals of the United Nations and its specialized agen- Libya, said the Arabs are also grappling with divisions cable in return, thanking Ghanem and MPs on their development and prosperity for Kuwait. HH the Amir cies in the humanitarian field. We also had the honor to since the Arab Spring revolutions in the last decade. An sincere wishes. reciprocated with cables on these two dear occasions, Sheikh Nawaf also exchanged greetings with HH cooperate and participate with the European group in EU source said there will “be no deal in the desert” admiring their kind sentiments and recalling the martyrs Sheikh Salem and Sheikh Mubarak Al-Abdullah Al- providing support to several countries in our region when asked if EU leaders would huddle together to who had redeemed the dear homeland with great sacri- Ahmad Al-Sabah. He also exchanged cables with and others around the world facing humanitarian crisis explore ways to break the logjam over Britain’s looming fices. The Amir also received cables of congratulations Sheikh Meshaal, HH Sheikh Nasser, HH Sheikh Jaber, and disasters. In this context, we must note that despite exit from the bloc on March 29. Brussels has stood from leaders of Arab and friendly states on the two First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense the progressive role of the European Community with united against May’s requests to reopen the November occasions. He replied to these cables, hoping to main- Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as well as regards to the Palestinian cause, we look forward to divorce agreement in order to help it pass the British tain the good relations with these countries. ministers, governors and diplomats, in addition to a seeing greater engagement and initiatives with this parliament. — Agencies Meanwhile, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf number of citizens and expatriates. — KUNA 21 Sports Monday, February 25, 2019 Giroux scores overtime winner as Flyers rally past Penguins at Stadium Series

Leafs storm back from 3-0 deficit, stomp Canadiens PHILADELPHIA: Claude Giroux scored at 1:59 of over- streak came to a halt as they fell to 8-2-1 in their last 11 time Saturday to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 win contests overall. San Jose star defenseman Erik Karlsson over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins in an NHL Stadium exited the contest in the second period with an undis- Series outdoor game before more than 69,000 fans at closed injury. Lincoln Financial Field. Giroux got around Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz, who lost his stick, and his shot MAPLE LEAFS 6, CANADIENS 3 from the slot squirted through the pads of goaltender Zach Hyman knocked in a rebound at 18:10 of the third Matt Murray as the Flyers erased a two-goal deficit to period for the go-ahead goal, and Toronto overcame a end a two-game losing streak. Philadelphia’s Jakub three-goal deficit to defeat visiting Montreal. Hyman Voracek, who had a goal and two assists, scored on a scored after a rebound from Mitch Marner’s shot. Andreas screened shot off a faceoff with 19.7 seconds left in regu- Johnsson scored his 17th goal of the season into an empty lation to tie it 3-3. Sean Couturier and James van net at 19:02, and Hyman scored his 13th goal of the season Riemsdyk also scored, and goaltender Brian Elliott made at 19:37 with the net still empty. William Nylander tied the 40 saves for the Flyers. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an game with a third-period goal and added an assist for the assist, and Schultz and Evgeni Malkin also scored for Maple Leafs, who stopped a three-game losing streak. Pittsburgh, which lost its second straight. Murray stopped Andrew Shaw and Jeff Petry each had a goal and an assist, 33 Philadelphia shots. and Tomas Tatar added a goal for the Canadiens. SABRES 5, CAPITALS 2 AVALANCHE 5, PREDATORS 0 Sam Reinhart posted a hat trick, and Jason Pominville Philipp Grubauer made 38 saves, and Nathan and Rasmus Dahlin each added one goal as Buffalo defeat- MacKinnon scored two goals as Colorado recorded a ed visiting Washington in a matinee. Jack Eichel added two shutout at Nashville. The Avalanche have won five of their assists as Buffalo snapped a four-game losing streak. last six games, including four in a row, following an eight- Goalie Carter Hutton finished with 31 saves for the Sabres game losing streak. MacKinnon also recorded an assist in in the win and even got his first assist this season. the game. Alexander Kerfoot matched MacKinnon’s three- Washington’s Alex Ovechkin scored his 44th goal of the point effort with a goal and two assists of his own. Despite season on a semi-breakaway early in the second period outshooting Colorado by a 38-21 margin, the Predators and has tallied goals in five consecutive games. Braden couldn’t solve Grubauer. Pekka Rinne matched his season Holtby had 33 saves. high with five goals allowed in net for the Predators. PHILADELPHIA: Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers takes a slap shot past Nick Bjugstad #27 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period during the 2019 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial BLUES 2, BRUINS 1 (SO) RANGERS 5, DEVILS 2 Field on Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. — AFP Rookie Jordan Binnington made 31 saves and came up Chris Kreider scored a goal and had a nifty power- big in the shootout as St. Louis snapped visiting Boston’s play assist as the New York Rangers scored three times seven-game winning streak. Binnington improved to 6-0- in the first period and recorded a victory over the visiting NHL game) and Ian McCoshen. Panthers goalie Roberto when he stopped all 36 shots he faced as New York 0 as a starter at home, thanks to several key saves, and fel- New Jersey Devils. Kreider set up Ryan Strome’s power- Luongo-who had been idle the past four games, including snapped a rare losing streak with a 4-0 win over host low rookie Sammy Blais scored the winner in the sixth play tally with 11:06 remaining in the first period by get- one during which he was on the bereavement list after a Vancouver. Casey Cizikas, Ryan Pulock, Anthony round of the shootout for the Blues, who bounced back ting to the right side of the net and making a no-look death in the family-made 18 saves. It was Luongo’s career Beauvillier and Cal Clutterbuck scored a goal apiece for after their club-record 11-game winning streak ended with pass through the crease. Strome finished off the play by 484th win, which ties him with Ed Belfour for third place the Islanders, who salvaged the finale of a three-game a 5-2 loss at Dallas on Thursday. Despite the Bruins’ win- coming from the back of the net and lifting the puck into on the NHL’s career list. swing through western Canada (1-1-1). The Canucks have ning run coming to an end, they extended their overall the vacated left side to make it 2-0. Rangers backup lost three straight (0-2-1) and eight of 10 (2-6-2). Goalie point streak to 13 games (9-0-4). Tuukka Rask made 28 goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was barely tested until HURRICANES 3, STARS 0 Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves. saves as his six-game winning streak ended. the third period and made 19 saves. Schneider made his Lucas Wallmark and Justin Faulk scored goals early in third straight start for the Devils and allowed four goals the first and second periods, respectively, and goaltender OILERS 2, DUCKS 1 BLUE JACKETS 4, SHARKS 0 on 33 shots. Curtis McElhinney recorded the shutout as surging Edmonton earned a clutch win without superstar cap- Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves to record his second Carolina rolled past host Dallas. McElhinney started in tain Connor McDavid, holding on for a home victory straight shutout, and Matt Duchene scored in his home PANTHERS 6, KINGS 1 goal for the Hurricanes for the 24th time this year and had over Anaheim. Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen made debut with his new team as Columbus blanked San Jose. Aleksander Barkov continued his hot streak with a goal to make only 24 saves to earn his second shutout of the 33 saves, including three during a late Anaheim power Cam Atkinson collected a goal and an assist, and Boone and an assist, and goalie Roberto Luongo reached a mile- season. Carolina is 5-1-0 in its past six games and 11-3-1 play, to backstop his squad to a second consecutive vic- Jenner and Pierre-Luc Dubois also tallied for the Blue stone as Florida sent Los Angeles to its seventh straight in its last 15 contests. Dallas has now been shut out six tory. Edmonton won two straight home games for the Jackets, who opened a five-game homestand by winning loss at Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers snapped a 1-1 tie with times this season. first time in more than two months. McDavid served the for the seventh time in 10 contests. Martin Jones yielded three straight second-period goals by Jonathan first half of a two-game suspension handed down for a four goals on 23 shots before being relieved by Aaron Dell Huberdeau, Barkov and Keith Yandle. Florida also got ISLANDERS 4, CANUCKS 0 check to the head of Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (three saves) for the Sharks, whose six-game road winning goals from Vincent Trocheck, Jamie McGinn (in his 600th Robin Lehner recorded his career-high fourth shutout, in the Oilers’ last game. — Reuters

Barry John hails ‘world’s best fullback’ Jaguares revel Williams as Wales in the rain to stun England batter Bulls

CARDIFF: Liam Williams was labelled the “world’s best BUENOS AIRES: The Argentine Jaguares adapted fullback” by rugby great Barry John after his starring role much better than the South African Bulls to the wet in Wales’ dramatic 21-13 win over England. Victory, sealed conditions in Buenos Aires Saturday and finished 27- by wing Josh Adams’ try two minutes from time off a pin- 12 winners of a Super Rugby round 2 match. point cross-kick from replacement fly-half Dan Biggar, left Ahead from the 17th minute when centre Matias Wales as the only team capable of a Grand Slam in this Six Orlando scored a breakaway try at the Estadio Jose Nations after they recovered from a 10-3 half-time deficit Amalfitani, the hosts briefly surrendered the lead on to dash England’s hopes of a clean sweep. The 27-year-old the hour mark. Williams, who plays alongside several England stars, CARDIFF: Wales’ full-back Liam Williams (L) jumps for the ball with England’s centre Henry Slade during the But the Bulls’ 12-10 advantage lasted just four min- including captain Owen Farrell, at Premiership Saracens Six Nations international rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in utes before substitute flanker Rodrigo Bruni was cred- was masterful in both attack and defence, where he Cardiff, south Wales, on Saturday. — AFP ited with a pushover try. Buoyed by regaining the lead neutered the threat of the Red Rose kicking game. so quickly, the Argentines stretched their advantage to “The key man for me was Liam Williams, man-of-the- the world today.” “Whenever he has ball in hand his first Halfpenny is, however, set to return for the Scarlets eight points via a penalty from fly-half Joaquin Diaz match in every sense,” wrote Welsh hero John, one of rug- intent is to run with it. When he does take players on against the Cheetahs in the Pro14. John, though, was Bonilla. And any doubts about who would emerge vic- by’s greatest fly-halves, in his walesonline column. John everybody on the pitch, and indeed in the stands, is on red adamant that Williams, who played a key role in the 2017 torious were dispelled with seven minutes remaining played in the same successful Wales side of the late 1960s alert because they know something is about to happen.” Lions drawn series against world champions New Zealand, when winger Bautista Delguy scored a try which and early 1970s as the outstanding full-back JPR Williams John added: “Some players simply inspire those around should keep his place when Wales resume their Six Bonilla converted. Scoring three tries and conceding (no relation to Liam). The pair were also key figures in the them with their outrageous deeds and Liam is very much Nations campaign away to Scotland on March 9. “Even none earned the Jaguares a bonus point and lifted 1971 British and Irish Lions team that won a Test series in of that ilk for Wales. “Defensively he is incredible, offen- when Leigh Halfpenny is fit again, Liam must stay at full- them from the bottom of the table to seventh place in New Zealand. sively he is our most creative back-and that’s saying some- back because, quite simply, he is the best option for the overall standings. JPR was renowned for rock-solid defence and fine thing when you are chosen as last line of defence. But Wales,” John said. “He demonstrated that with the Lions in It was the first success under new coach Gonzalo counter-attack, qualities John said Liam Williams had that’s the impact he has upon this team.” Leigh Halfpenny, New Zealand and he proved that again in this one. Quesada after a nine-point home defeat in round 1 by shown in front of a capacity crowd at Cardiff’s Principality a top-class goalkicker, might have been Wales’ fullback “In fact, the young Halfpenny was a bit like Liam in as another South African side, the Golden Lions, last Stadium on Saturday. “Time and again he was calm under against England if he had been fit. But the 30-year-old has much as he loved to counter. Several bangs to the body weekend. Quesada was appointed during the close the English high bombs, caught the ball cleanly and, invari- not played a competitive match since being concussed fol- have taken their toll in that respect and Halfpenny is far season when former Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma ably, made good yards too,” John said. “His defence was lowing a late tackle from Samu Kerevi during Wales’ win more of a conservative full-back these days, but it’s the was promoted to take charge of the national team, Los flawless and he is without doubt the best 15 (fullback) in over Australia in Cardiff on November 10. opposite with Liam.”—AFP Pumas. “We adapted well to the wet conditions and deserved the victory,” said Jaguares captain and centre Jeronimo de la Fuente, who succeeded Pablo Phak travelling with her only child to the Indian capital as Matera as leader for this season. “Lessons were learnt one of the Thailand shooting squad’s managers. from our loss to the Lions last weekend and everyone Thailand 14-yr-old “My father is a captain of a ship and my mother runs a played with passion, giving the Bulls no time to settle business. They helped me pursue my sport full-time. My into a rhythm.” shooting prodigy mother travels with me to all events and she wants me to do Defeat was a severe reality check for the visitors something more than just study.” from Pretoria, who had thrashed South African rivals Phon is all praise for Isaranuudom’s “focus” at such a the Western Stormers by 37 points last weekend. The aims for WCup gold young age as she recalls his early trips to the Bangkok attacking flair and momentum they had on a sun- shooting academy from their home four hours away in baked Pretoria pitch was nowhere to be seen on the Nakhon Ratchasima city. “He is very focused regarding his sodden Buenos Aires field with rain falling throughout NEW DELHI: Thailand’s James Bond-loving ace sport shooting career which is rare at such a young age. He just the match. “We were confident of following up our shooter says he is unfazed by his older opponents as the loves the sport and will achieve great heights,” she told great start to the season with another win and cannot high school prodigy sets his sights on World Cup gold in AFP. “It was not easy travelling from our hometown to the offer the slippery conditions as an excuse,” said Bulls India this week. Isaranuudom Phurihiranphat is the Bangkok shooting range where he trained during his holi- skipper and lock Lood de Jager. “Both sides were youngest competitor at the tournament and the 14-year-old days. But I am always there with him,” she added. equally affected by the rain and the simple truth is that faces a strong field in the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event. “I Isaranuudom is still searching for his first medal in a senior the Jaguares adapted much better than we did.” know I am the youngest in these games. There is tough competition after representing Thailand at the Asian Games Bonilla, successor to France-based Nicolas competition but I don’t feel any pressure. I stay relaxed and in Indonesia and the World Championships in South Korea. Sanchez as the Jaguares’ playmaker, contributed 12 calm when I shoot,” he told AFP after practice at the New The Delhi event is the teenager’s fourth World Cup tour- points from two penalties and three conversions. Rival Delhi shooting range. “Of course I’ll go for gold. I feel I can nament after competing in junior events and he has more fly-half Handre Pollard slotted four penalties to retain do it. My aim is to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” than 10 medals in international competitions. “I started as a his position as the leading points scorer in Super he added. Isaranuudom says his love of British spy films air pistol shooter when I was nine years old. But realised Rugby this season with 32. motivated him to become a full-time sporting shooter at the that I wasn’t too good at it, so switched to 25-meter rapid Cornal Hendricks, debuting for the Bulls four years age of nine. “I liked guns since I was a small boy. I also fire and got results in just two years,” he said. after being told he risked suffering cardiac arrest if he watched a lot of James Bond movies,” he said. “I like rapid fire because it’s fast, I don’t like things slow. played again, was solid before being replaced in the “My favourite is Johnny English,” he added, referring to I shot in my first competition in 2015 in a Thailand event second half. The Bulls other winger, Rosko Specman, a the slapstick British spy film franchise. But his parents have and got gold.” The tournament in Delhi concludes on two-try star in the rout of the Stormers, cut a frustrated figure as he barely touched the ball. —AFP also motivated him all of the way, with his mother Phon Thursday. —AFP Isaranuudom Phurihiranphat 22 Sports Monday, February 25, 2019 Gordon scores 25, Harden-less Rockets stun Warriors 118-112 Middleton, Antetokounmpo help Bucks outlast Wolves

OAKLAND: Eric Gordon led five players in double fig- added 35, both career highs, as Chicago defeated visiting ures with 25 points Saturday night as the Houston Boston for its third consecutive victory. The Bulls, who Rockets, playing without star James Harden, used superior had lost 11 of their previous 12 games at the United depth to stun the Golden State Warriors 118-112 in Center, improved to 7-23 at home this season. LaVine Oakland, Calif. The win was the Rockets’ third in three made two free throws with 17.6 seconds left to eclipse his meetings with the two-time defending champions this previous best of 41 points, set earlier this season. LaVine season after Golden State won a seven-game showdown only shot three free throws in the game. He was 17 of 29 last May in the Western Conference Finals. This victory from the field and 5 of 11 from 3-point range. He also had was accomplished without Harden, who has scored 30 or six rebounds and four assists. more points in 32 consecutive games, the second-longest run in NBA history. The absence was just his fourth of the PELICANS 128, LAKERS 115 season. The Rockets had suffered defeats while he sat out New Orleans got off to a hot start even without star two of his first three times. center Anthony Davis and cruised to a victory against visiting Los Angeles. The Pelicans scored 42 points in the JAZZ 125, MAVERICKS 109 opening quarter, the most in any quarter this season, as Joe Ingles capped an 18-point performance with four Davis rested after playing Friday night at Indiana. Jrue 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping Utah pull away Holiday had 27 points and seven assists for New Orleans, from Dallas at Salt Lake City. In a game that paired two and Julius Randle scored 24 points. Brandon Ingram teams that had played the night before and traveled to scored 29 points to lead the Lakers, and LeBron James Utah for Saturday’s contest, the Jazz used a 29-14 edge in had 27 points, 12 assists and four steals. free throw points to win their third straight at home. After leading by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, the PISTONS 119, HEAT 96 Jazz found themselves clinging to just an 86-83 lead early Ish Smith led a strong bench effort with a season-high in the fourth quarter before Ingles got things headed in a 22 points and nine assists as Detroit pulled away at Miami. positive direction. Fellow reserves Langston Galloway and Luke Kennard added 17 points apiece as the Pistons’ bench scored 66 BUCKS 140, TIMBERWOLVES 128 points. Blake Griffin had 20 points and six assists, Reggie Khris Middleton scored 28 points, and Giannis Jackson added 13 points and Andre Drummond chipped in Antetokounmpo added 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven 12 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks to lead Detroit’s OAKLAND: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors on assists as Milwaukee won for the 16th time in its last 18 starting unit. Saturday at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. — AFP games, beating visiting Minnesota. The Bucks got off to a fast start en route to reaching 140 points for the fourth PACERS 119, WIZARDS 112 the Grizzlies had taken the lead. Sexton was steady, scored 23 points in a win over visiting Phoenix, handing time this season. Antetokounmpo drove the lane for a Thaddeus Young scored 22 points, Bojan Bogdanovic scoring 20 points, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out the Suns their 17th straight loss. Taurean Prince added 21 dunk 14 seconds into the game and had 11 points in the added 18 and visiting Indiana held off Washington. five assists and making two steals. points and John Collins scored 19 for Atlanta, which used opening 3:09. Milwaukee went on to its fourth consecu- Domantas Sabonis had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the a 21-6 run in the fourth quarter to overtake Phoenix. The tive victory and second in a row since the All-Star break. Pacers, who began the post All-Star break schedule by NETS 117, HORNETS 115 Suns led 103-95 with 5:46 remaining. Atlanta took the winning on back-to-back nights. Indiana, third in the D’Angelo Russell scored 40 points, including 12 lead for good on a pair of free throws by Young with 2:56 KINGS 119, THUNDER 116 Eastern Conference, has won eight of its last nine. Bradley straight down the stretch, and Brooklyn pulled out a vic- left, and Prince extended the lead to five when he con- Buddy Hield scored 34 points to help Sacramento hold Beal scored 35 points in 41 minutes for the Wizards, who tory over host Charlotte in a bizarre game. The Nets blew verted a three-point play with 2:09 remaining. Phoenix off visiting Oklahoma City. The Kings led for much of the have lost four straight and nine of 12. Thomas Bryant had a 19-point second-half lead and eventually had to come never got closer than three points. way but had to hold on late, thanks to a couple of big 23 points and 12 rebounds for Washington, which finishes back from an eight-point deficit in the final four minutes. shots by Russell Westbrook down the stretch. A night the season 1-3 against Indiana. Russell’s 3-pointer with 39.8 seconds remaining gave the TRAIL BLAZERS 130, 76ERS 115 after making a game-winner at the buzzer in double-over- Nets the lead for good, and then no foul was called in a Jusuf Nurkic scored 24 points and grabbed 10 time against Utah, the Thunder’s Paul George couldn’t CAVALIERS 112, GRIZZLIES 107 controversial ending when Charlotte’s Kemba Walker rebounds to lead visiting Portland past Philadelphia. come up with the big shot for the second straight game. Cedi Osman scored five points in a span of 17 sec- appeared to draw contact from Caris LeVert on a 3-point Damian Lillard added 17 points, eight assists and six George’s potential game-tying shot at the buzzer over onds late in the fourth quarter, and rookie Collin Sexton attempt at the buzzer. The victory allowed the Nets to rebounds as the Trail Blazers won their third straight. Enes Willie Cauley-Stein hit off the front of the rim to give the followed with a deep 3-pointer to lift host Cleveland expand their lead over the Hornets to two games in the Kanter also had 16 points and eight rebounds as Portland Kings the victory and the season series, 3-1. over Memphis. Kevin Love scored a season-high 32 chase for the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 playoff spot. won its second in a row away from home on a seven- points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the game road trip. Ben Simmons led the Sixers with 29 BULLS 126, CELTICS 116 Cavaliers. Love went 9 of 15 from the field and 6 of 9 HAWKS 120, SUNS 112 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds while Tobias Harris Zack LaVine scored 42 points, and Lauri Markkanen from 3-point range, sparking a fourth-quarter run after Atlanta guards Kent Bazemore and Trae Young both added 20 points. — Reuters

degrees of success ahead of the return of regular open- Ball-tamperer er Warner and former Test skipper Steve Smith. The pair are eligible to play again in late March after their one-year bans for the same ball-tampering inci- Shock Sri Lanka Bancroft smacks dent expire. In an explosive interview during the Boxing Day Test against India in December, Bancroft unbeaten 138 alleged it was Warner who asked him to alter the ball in loss major jolt South Africa. Some pundits suggested he had thrown Warner SYDNEY: Cameron Bancroft made an emphatic state- “under the bus” and that their relationship was now for South Africa ment to Australian selectors yesterday by carrying his untenable. But Bancroft insisted they spoke regularly bat in an unbeaten 138 on his red ball return after a and had been supporting each other. “Yeah, I’ve spoken PORT ELIZABETH: South Africa’s shock Test series ball-tampering ban, while downplaying any rift with to Dave... I think all of us, including Dave, have been defeat against Sri Lanka came as a major jolt to a team David Warner. really challenged through this period of time,” he told which had become accustomed to dominating Test The 26-year-old opener completed his nine-month broadcaster ABC on Saturday evening. matches at home. The unheralded Sri Lankans exposed suspension for cheating in late December and has since “I know that all three of us have really stuck by each flaws in both South Africa’s top-order batting and their played Twenty20 cricket for the Perth Scorchers in the other and looked after each other well. I guess moving much-vaunted fast bowling attack in winning both Big Bash League. But his outing for Western Australia forward there will be great lessons for all of us, includ- Tests in a two-match series. against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield in ing Dave. “That’s something we’ve all shared with each Coach Ottis Gibson was asked after the second Test Sydney was his maiden first-class match since the infa- other and something I’ve certainly shared with Dave in Port Elizabeth whether South Africa’s policy of play- mous ‘sandpapergate’ in Cape Town almost a year ago when we’ve communicated throughout this entire jour- ing on pace-friendly pitches had affected the form and that rocked the game. ney.” Despite being criticised for the timing of his confidence of the home team’s batsmen, who struggled Bancroft was a measure of concentration and disci- Boxing Day interview, Bancroft-who will play for to totals of 235, 259, 222 and 128 against Sri Lanka. pline as he played the anchor role to be 73 not out Durham in the English summer to further his Ashes “No,” he said. “We’ve got runs on these pitches overnight and completed his patient ton on Sunday, chances-said he had no regrets. “There were some real- before. We just haven’t batted well enough in this smashing eight fours and three sixes in his 358-ball ly powerful lessons I learned through my journey that I series.” The reality, though, is that batting struggles wanted others to connect and to share with,” he said. have become a trend, with none of the current top six innings as his team collapsed around him. batsmen averaging above 40 since the start of 2018. It helped steer Western Australia to 279 all out. With “If other people were triggered by that, I guess Successive series wins against India, Australia and the Ashes series against England looming this year, it that’s their battle to face. “But if I was able to touch Pakistan were achieved when moderate totals proved was a timely knock with Australia struggling over the people through some parts of my journey, and to help enough because of South Africa’s bowling firepower. summer to find a consistent Test opener. They tried them I guess break through (in) their lives, that was my Some changes seem inevitable. Gibson’s contract Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, and Joe Burns to varying sole intention for that,” Bancroft said. — AFP Cameron Bancroft expires after the Cricket World Cup in July and he has refused to comment on the likelihood of staying in the job. The Sri Lanka series has also put the spotlight on Afghanistan’s total unsurprisingly proved some of South Africa’s ageing players. Hashim Amla, a Record-breaking beyond the Irish, who succumbed by 84 runs to go kingpin at number three for more than a decade during 2-0 down in the three-match series. much of which he had a career average above 50, has Afghan spin sensation Rashid Khan compared not hit a century since 2017 and his average in 15 Tests Zazai helps Zazai to hard-hitting West Indian opener Chris since his last hundred is a modest 26.07. Gayle in a tweet congratulating him on a “phenom- He will be 36 when South Africa play their next Test series in India in September and there has been specu- Afghans register enal performance”. Zazai will get a further chance lation that retirement is imminent. Captain Faf du to lay out his World Cup credentials in the five- Plessis, who together with Quinton de Kock was the match ODI series against Ireland that follows the only consistent batsman against Sri Lanka, is 34 and highest T20 total final Twenty20 clash. opening batsman Dean Elgar is 31. He has already proved himself capable of Elgar scored only 169 runs in ten innings during the remarkable scoring feats in the shortest format of summer against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Du Plessis, MUMBAI: Hazratullah Zazai gave his hopes of a the game. though, said changes were not inevitable. “You’re talk- trip to the World Cup this year a huge boost with a Last October, while opening the batting for ing about a top-order that is experienced. Talking sensational display of power-hitting against Ireland Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends in the about them to be replaced is a big call. They’ve done on Saturday to help Afghanistan to a record Afghanistan Premier League Twenty20 tournament, well for a very long time. One series doesn’t make you a Twenty20 international total. The strongly-built Zazai completed the rare feat of hitting six sixes in bad player.” opening batsman smashed an unbeaten 162 off 62 an over. During his knock of 62 in that match, he Of the younger batsmen, Temba Bavuma, 28, has yet deliveries to power Afghanistan to 278-3 in the also equalled the record for the fastest half-century to justify his promotion to the key number four batting Indian city of Dehradun, surpassing the previous in the T20 format when he reached the milestone position while opener Aiden Markram has been unable record of 263-3 set by Australia against Sri Lanka off 12 balls, a mark he shares with India’s Yuvraj to sustain the outstanding form that marked his debut in Pallekele in 2016. Singh and Gayle. season in 2017/18. Age is also catching up on the fast The 20-year-old’s knock was the second highest Despite having those remarkable feats under his bowlers. Like Amla, Dale Steyn will be 36 when South individual innings in international Twenty20s belt at such an young age, Zazai has yet to cement Africa play their next Test. Although he made a suc- behind Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron a place in the Afghan ODI side. cessful return to the side after a lengthy struggle Finch, who scored 172 against Zimbabwe in Harare He played his only two 50-over matches against against injuries, he was ineffectual in Port Elizabeth, last year. where he failed to take a wicket. Ireland last August but was dropped for the Asian Vernon Philander is 33 and under increasing scruti- The left-handed batsman did, however, overtake Cup later in 2018 and will need to carry his T20 ny for missing matches because of injury. While giving Finch for the most sixes in an international innings form into the ODIs against Ireland to cement his credit to Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Gibson, Du Plessis and by hammering 16 of them over the boundary to place in the World Cup squad. batting coach Dale Benkenstein noted that a lack of better the Australian’s tally of 14 in a knock of 156 Afghanistan, who debuted at the 2015 World footage of relative newcomers such as Vishwa against England at Southampton in 2013. Cup, face defending champions Australia in Fernando and Kasun Rajitha had hampered South Zazai also shared a format record partnership of Bristol on June 1 in their opening match of this Africa’s preparation.—AFP 236 with fellow opener Usman Ghani, who hit a rel- year’s 50-over international showpiece in atively modest tally of 73 runs from 48 balls. England and Wales. — Reuters Hazratullah Zazai 23 Sports Monday, February 25, 2019 Dzeko’s 95th-minute winner rescues Roma against lowly Frosinone Torino beat ambitious Atalanta to move seventh

ROME: Edin Dzeko snatched a 95th-minute winner for work from Daniele De Rossi and an El Shaarawy assist. a double on the night as Roma rescued a 3-2 come- “We can’t keep getting away with this type of per- from-behind win against lowly Frosinone on Saturday formance,” said Di Francesco. “I was impressed not to keep in touch with the Champions League places. just by Dzeko’s goals, but the way he tried to pull the The Romans were pushed hard by Frosinone, a team team forward and lead the way on the pitch.” also from the Lazio region who are second from bot- Roma needed a win to hold off the chasing pack, tom of the league, with just three wins this season. with Lazio, Torino and Atalanta now six points adrift. Dzeko had equalised after a nightmare start for the Next week Roma play city rivals Lazio, and have their visitors in windy conditions and also provided the Champions League last 16, second leg clash with FC assist for Lorenzo Pellegrini’s 31st-minute goal. Porto on March 6. Roma are fifth, one point behind AC Milan, who beat Empoli 3-0 on Friday to remain in the final Champions TORINO SPARK League berth. “I prefer a different way of getting to Torino earlier joined the crowded race for European the three points,” admitted coach Eusebio Di football with Armando Izzo and Iago Falque scoring Francesco. either side of the break to beat ambitious Atalanta 2-0. “We made a lot of errors and that almost cost us. Izzo slotted in three minutes before the interval with The positive thing is we fought until the very end to Falque blasting in the second just after the restart as win.” Camillo Ciano had gotten Frosinone off to a Torino move seventh, equal on 38 points with Lazio dream start, intercepting a blundering Steven Nzonzi and Atalanta. Walter Mazzarri’s side extended their run pass, with Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen making a of games without conceding a goal to five, a feat they mess of the attempt to clear. last achieved 24 years ago. Bosnian star Dzeko got the equaliser on the half Atalanta are losing pace after once looking con- hour, sneaking up on napping defender Edoardo tenders for Champions League football, suffering a Goldaniga to finish off. A minute later the visitors were second consecutive defeat following last weekend’s 3-1 back in front as Dzeko set up Stephan El Shaaraway home loss to AC Milan. The side from Bergamo had with Marco Sportiello tipping the first effort wide with been riding high after ousting champions Juventus ROME: File photo shows AS Roma Bosnian forward Edin Dzeko (C) kicks the ball during the Italian Serie A foot- Pellegrini on hand to pounce on the rebound. from the Coppa Italia quarter-finals last month. “We ball match between Roma and Bologna at the Olympic stadium, in Rome, on February 18, 2019. —AFP Roma defender Kostas Manolas came off with an were practically perfect in the second half,” said ankle injury, with Andrea Pinamonti throwing Mazzarri. “The next three rounds are the real test of Frosinone a lifeline off a Ciano cross nine minutes from our maturity and then we’ll see if this Toro really has on third-placed Inter Milan in late game. Champions Champions League last 16, first leg defeat at Atletico time. But as Frosinone looked set for a share of the become a great team.” Fiorentina will look to join Juventus, who have a 13-point lead at the top, travel to Madrid during the week. Napoli, in second, play at points Dzeko bundled in the winner following good Lazio, Torino and Atalanta on 38 points when they take struggling Bologna in search of a boost after their 2-0 mid-table Parma. — AFP

Struggling Leicester Matches on TV sack coach Claude (Local Timings) SPANISH LEAGUE LONDON: Leicester announced the sacking of Girona v Real Sociedad 23:00 manager Claude Puel yesterday following the beIN SPORTS HD 3 struggling Premier League side’s sixth defeat in seven games. Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace dropped the 2015/2016 champions to 12th, only ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE eight points above the relegation places. SS Lazio v Udinese Calcio 22:30 A statement released by the club said: beIN SPORTS “Leicester City Football Club has today (Sunday) parted company with Claude Puel, who leaves his GERMAN BUNDESLIGA position as first team manager with immediate RB Leipzig v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 22:30 effect.” First team coaches Mike Stowell and Adam beIN SPORTS HD 5 Sadler will assume caretaking responsibilities. “The club would like to thank Claude for his efforts in leading the team during his 16 months in the role and wish him well in his future career,” the club added. Solskjaer impressed Puel’s assistant manager Jacky Bonnevay has also been let go. The 57-year-old Puel is the fifth English topflight manager to be sacked this season, by in-form Pogba’s following Slavisa Jokanovic from Fulham, Mark Hughes (Southampton), Jose Mourinho new-found maturity (Manchester United) and David Wagner (Huddersfield). The Foxes’ miserable run includes a defeat to LEICESTER: File photo taken on January 12, 2019 Leicester City’s French manager Claude Puel gestures during the MANCHESTER: Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar League Two side Newport in the FA Cup. Their dip English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Southampton at King Power Stadium in Leicester. Solskjaer says that Paul Pogba is channelling his extrovert in form followed a promising period over Christmas Leicester announced the sacking of manager Claude Puel yesterday. — AFP personality in the right way after toning down his off-field when they beat both Chelsea and Manchester City, behaviour, ahead of his side’s huge match with title-chas- their last home success on Boxing Day. ing Liverpool yesterday. Their last win was on New Year’s Day, with Jamie Southampton. The Frenchman steadied the ship and fire from fans, especially his use of Jamie Vardy - Pogba has rediscovered his form since Solskjaer took Vardy scoring the goal in a 1-0 victory at Everton. eventually led the side to a ninth-place finish in the with the former England striker also publicly ques- charge at as United’s interim manager in December follow- The Midlands side have endured a traumatic season Premier League. He was backed by the club’s board tioning his manager’s tactics and training regime. ing the sacking of Jose Mourinho. Having endured a diffi- with the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha last summer, spending money on the likes of James Celtic manager and former Liverpool boss cult first half the season, the France star has scored nine and four others in a helicopter crash outside the Maddison, Ricardo Pereira, Rachid Ghezzal and Brendan Rodgers is reported to be among the goals and provided six assists in his last 12 club appear- club’s King Power stadium in October. Puel took Caglar Soyuncu as he aimed to change Leicester’s front-runners to replace Puel in the summer, with ances as United have shot into fourth with Premier League over from Craig Shakespeare at Leicester in style of play. the club set to install an interim manager for the eight wins in nine and reached the FA Cup quarter-finals October 2017 after a year long spell in charge of However, the Frenchman’s approach came under remaining 11 matches of the season. —AFP after convincingly beating Chelsea earlier this month. “He is a leader in training, he is a leader in the dressing room,” Solskjaer said ahead of Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford. “Players are allowed to be themselves. He spends a lot of energy being a leader on and off the pitch.” Dybala extends The midfielder has become as well-known for his colourful hairstyles and his social media posts as for his Juventus’ lead football skills during his time at Old Trafford. “If you want the nice car, different haircut, it is not a problem. I can’t do anything about my grey hair, but it is not a problem that MILAN: Paulo Dybala sent Juventus 16 points clear you have whatever haircut you want,” said Solskjaer. at the top of Serie A yesterday with a second-half “It has never been a problem with Paul. I remember winner in a 1-0 victory at Bologna. After a spotty when he was 16, he wanted to feel good. If you feel good, Juventus display that saw hosts Bologna on top for you will play well.” Pogba’s social media use was a prob- long periods, Dybala came off the bench to snatch lem for Mourinho, who was reported to be unhappy that the three points. the midfielder broke United rules by filming an Instagram Defender Danilo deflected Blaise Matuidi’s low video in the training ground changing rooms to wish Jesse 67th-minute cross straight to the Argentine interna- Lingard a happy birthday in December. tional in front of a gaping goal, and he slotted past That was shortly before the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool that Lukasz Skorupski. Juventus moved further ahead of cost the former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager his job. Napoli who play Parma later. Solskjaer believes it is important that players remain Bologna stay third-from-bottom on 18 points and focused on their job, and do not have too many off-field three from safety, despite pushing Juve, much- distractions-making what seemed to be a passing refer- changed from the side that lost 2-0 at Atletico ence to the appearance of Liverpool striker Daniel Madrid midweek, all the way and almost equalising Sturridge at the Brit Awards at London’s O2 Arena on in the final minute when Mattia Perin pushed Nicola Wednesday. Sansone’s long-range drive onto the post. “Paul has always been a larger-than-life character. But SPAL picked a point at Sassuolo and moved five you don’t want to give anyone an excuse really, so of points ahead of Bologna thanks to Andrea Petagna’s course, you don’t go to the Brit awards this week,” he said. 68th-minute equaliser from the spot. Rock-bottom “We know leading up to the other game against Liverpool Chievo held Genoa to a goalless draw. there were stories about players not being focused. Sampdoria’s veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella “It is not about that. We know they are focused, we struck the winner from the spot in the second half know they are doing their best but he does help himself by against Cagliari to bag his 17th goal of the season. BOLOGNA: Bologna’s Brazilian Italian defender Danilo Larangeira (C) and Juventus’ Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo toning it down a bit ... Knowing him, he wants to win, he Ninth-place Sampdoria remain in touch with the Bentancur (R) go for the ball during the Italian Serie A football match Bologna vs Juventus yesterday at the Renato- wants to be the best.” European places. On Saturday, Edin Dzeko’s 95th- Dall’Ara stadium in Bologna. — AFP Solskjaer is also keen to ensure victory over Liverpool minute winner completed Roma’s fightback at lowly in the Premier League on Sunday, not least to silence the Frosinone as they won 3-2 to keep pace with fourth- many fans in his native Norway who support Jurgen placed AC Milan, easy 3-0 winners at home to equalised Camillo Ciano’s comical fifth-minute open- of their Italian Cup semi-final against Milan. Simone Klopp’s team, who are separated from leaders Manchester Bologna’s relegation rivals Empoli on Friday night. er for Frosinone, kept Roma one point behind Milan, Inzaghi’s side are level on 38 points with Atalanta City by goal difference. Rejuvenated Dzeko has four goals in his last four who occupy the final Champions League place, and Torino, who beat Atalanta 2-0 on Saturday with “There are loads of Liverpool fans back home and it league games after his brace at the Stadio Benito ahead of next week’s Rome derby against Lazio. goals either side of half-time from Armando Izzo and has been like: every year is going to be their year. Then it Stirpe, following a fallow few months up front for Lazio are six points behind Roma after their Iago Falque. Fiorentina can join the trio with a win gets to October and it’s: ‘Ok, next year’,” he said. “But now Eusebio Di Francesco’s inconsistent side. match with Udinese set for Monday night was post- over third-placed Inter Milan in Florence in Sunday’s they are in the race so for them it is going to be an exciting Dzeko’s winner, which came after he had poned as it was considered too close to the first leg late game. — AFP finish to the league now they are in it.—AFP Established 1961 Sport

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Giroux scores overtime winner as Flyers Ball-tamperer Bancroft Dybala extends 21rally past Penguins at Stadium Series 22 smacks unbeaten 138 23 Juventus’ lead

Liverpool go top with draw Arsenal ease past Southampton to go fourth in league

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s French midfielder Paul Pogba (R) challenges Liverpool’s English midfielder James Milner (L) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, yesterday. — AFP

MANCHESTER: Liverpool took over at the top of the Liverpool also lost their Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino Premier League table despite being held to a 0-0 draw to an ankle injury with Daniel Sturridge pressed into against Manchester United in a scrappy match yesterday. action. After such a messy first half, neither side were able Maxwell helps Australia edge Juergen Klopp’s side have now drawn three of their last to truly get into their stride in a disappointing game. four Premier League games and have 66 points from 27 Without Firmino and with Mohamed Salah having a games while second placed Manchester City, who play quiet game, Liverpool’s only real opportunity came from a out India in 1st T20 Chelsea in the League Cup final later, have 65 points from corner but Georginio Wijnaldum headed wide. the same number of games. “A clean sheet is pleasing because it’s not an easy place VISAKHAPATNAM: Glenn Maxwell hit a crucial half- Umesh Yadav to steer the Aussies home. But the day Klopp looked frustrated and irritated throughout the to come,” said Liverpool’s James Milner. century as Australia edged out India by three wickets in belonged to Coulter-Nile who returned figures of 3-26 game as his team struggled to find the attacking verve, “We didn’t get many chances as we would have liked a thrilling last-ball finish at the first Twenty20 interna- in his four overs, receiving the man of the match award. which has been the basis of their success this season, and we’re disappointed not to win the game. tional yesterday. Indian batsman K.L. Rahul, who returned to the side Pat Cummins hit a four and took two runs to com- after a suspension for sexist comments during a contro- against a United side that was forced to make all three Earlier, Arsenal cruised to victory over a disjointed plete a nervous 127-run chase after his fellow paceman versial TV chat show appearance with Hardik Pandya, changes in the first-half. Southampton thanks to two first-half goals from Alexandre Nathan Coulter-Nile restricted India to 126-7 in hit 50 off 36 balls. The Liverpool manager suggested his team had been Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the Emirates yester- Visakhapatnam. His 55-run second wicket stand with skipper Virat affected by the stop-start nature of the first half. “We day, taking them back into the top four in the Premier Maxwell, who made 56, put together 84 runs with Kohli, who made 24, gave India a brisk start but the didn’t do well to be honest. We take that. It is a point League. Arsenal took the lead in the sixth minute in bizarre D’Arcy Short for the third wicket to put Australia on hosts lost momentum after losing three quick wickets. gained because we have one more than before but it does- circumstances, Lacazette neatly back-heeling in a pass course before Jasprit Bumrah hit back with three wick- Adam Zampa got Kohli’s prized scalp with his leg spin n’t feel like that,” he said. from Mkhitaryan while the rest of the team were still ets. Bumrah got debutant Peter Handscomb caught and Coulter-Nile claimed the wicket of Rahul to check “These games are always opened up by one situation. appealing for a penalty after Lucas Torreira took a tumble behind for 13 and then bowled Coulter-Nile on the final India on a tricky pitch. The boys didn’t feel okay. I could see it in their faces. It in the box. The goal came seconds after Saints’ Nathan ball of the 19th over to keep the game in balance. Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh was strange. I was thinking ‘what is going on here today’. Redmond was through on goal at the other end, only to Jhye Richardson and Cummins-both not out on seven Dhoni made an unbeaten 29. The second match is in They lost momentum and rhythm and couldn’t really get it fire his shot straight at goalkeeper Bernd Leno. each-then kept their cool in the final six balls against Bangalore tomorrow. — AFP back.” Liverpool’s supporters struck a different tone, how- The home side doubled their advantage minutes later ever, as they left the home of their old rivals chanting a when Southampton keeper Angus Gunn, making only his reminder of their league position as they focus on the second Premier League appearance, cleared the ball chance to win their first top flight title since 1990. straight into the path of Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi. The point means that Liverpool, who have 11 games The Nigerian midfielder bolted forward and passed remaining, will be disappointed not to have taken advan- across the goal to the unmarked Mkhitaryan, who tage of an injury-ravaged United, who slip to fifth after thumped his shot low into the corner. Arsenal’s win over Southampton. Lacazette should arguably have had a hat-trick within Having lost holding midfielder Nemanja Matic to injury the first half, but he was unable to take advantage of any of before the game, Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera went the numerous opportunities that came his way. off in the 20th minute and a limping Juan Mata was First he had a glancing header from a Granit Xhaka replaced by Jesse Lingard five minutes later. corner saved, then he blasted over the bar from within the But Lingard did not even last until the break as he suf- six-yard box, and seconds later he spun away from his fered what appeared to be a recurrence of his hamstring marker and shot straight into the outstretched leg of Gunn. strain and limped off to be replaced by Alexis Sanchez. Southampton, by contrast, looked a shadow of the team Lingard had the best chance of the half when he was that won the reverse fixture at St Mary’s in December, found in the box by Romelu Lukaku with a perfectly registering only three shots in the half to the Gunners’ 11. threaded pass but Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker was They brought on Charlie Austin in the second half to see if quickly out to foil the England attacker’s attempt to round he could maintain his record of scoring against Arsenal him. “Everything that could have gone wrong in the first every time he has met them in the league, but the Saints VISAKHAPATNAM: India’s Yuzvendra Chahal dives to attempt a catch on his own bowling as Australia’s D’arcy half went wrong. We had four injuries - we had to keep were unable to break back into the game. The result moves Short jumps to avoid the ball during the first Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Australia Marcus Rashford on - it seemed like it was going to be a Unai Emery’s side up into fourth place in the standings on yesterday. — AFP tough afternoon,” said United caretaker manager Ole 53 points after Manchester United were held to a goalless Gunnar Solskjaer. Amid those three United injuries, draw by Liverpool at Old Trafford. — Reuters